The Sounds Of Vale
by The Draigg
Summary: Oh no! Team RWBY has fallen behind in team credits! (Un)fortunately for them, the best way to catch up is to write and perform in a musical stage show. Hopefully nothing will go wrong, but hilarity and romance will definitely ensue! Mainly White Rose, with hints of Bumbleby, Arkos, and Noren. Now rated M, so I can get away with more!
1. Chapter 1

The Sounds Of Vale

**Hey there, it's The Draigg here. Long time reader, first time writer. I wanted to write a musical type of story, so what better way to write one can there be where you combine it with a good show? In that regard, I don't own RWBY or any of the songs/shows used. If I did, I would run them into the ground due to sheer mismanagement. That's why RWBY belongs to Monty Oum. With that said, let's start this show!**

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><p>Chapter 1: Staging A Stage Show<p>

A new Saturday opened above Beacon Academy. The sun shined brightly, birds were chirping, trees were rustling, and the creatures of Grimm were... grimming. Overall, it seemed like another nice, normal day. Well, as normal as one can get when you go to a school full of hormonal teens with access to military grade hardware. Besides the point, there sat a large number of students in Beacon's cafeteria, ready to start the weekend. Some were talking animatedly, while some were off in their own little world.

Teams RWBY and JNPR were currently doing both. As with most mornings, they gathered together to eat breakfast at the same table. And like most mornings, an orange haired girl named Nora Valkyrie was excitedly telling the others about her dream. Lie Ren, her partner and friend, was acting as her own personal dream editor.

"-And so he went all like "VOLTEKKAAAA" and fired lasers and stuff! And that killed all the rage zombies on Side 3!".

"It was Side 7, Nora.", added Ren in his constantly even tone.

"Right, right! So then all the bodies and debris turned into edible gold! We got SOOO rich! And full!", continued Nora.

"She got all these ideas from that DVD marathon last week.", explained Ren to the others seated at the table.

If anybody at the table was listening, they weren't paying attention too much. It wasn't that they didn't like Nora. They really enjoyed her company, in fact. It was just that after telling everyone about a dream involving both teams at a "party" in Beacon's fountain, everyone was a bit wary of her stories. If one thing could be said about that dream, it was that nobody (especially Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos) could look at inflatable pool toys and cardboard tubes in the same way again. Or Nora, for that matter.

Only Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose were really paying attention to her. Blake Belladonna was reading a book from her large collection, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos were talking about an upcoming friendly sparring match, and Weiss Schnee was looking over some grades and typing numbers into a calculator. In fact, she was looking quite agitated at the numbers she was getting. Not that anyone payed attention, of course.

Yang couldn't help but ask, "What about the Behelit?". Ruby then piped up and said, "Yeah, what about it? Did someone use it?". "Of course not!", giggled Nora. She then added, "Yet again, it did suck all those people into the Vortex, anyway...". Nobody heard Ren mumble something about Nora never watching those movies again.

Before Nora could move on to explain how they traded edible gold stock at the Vale Stock Exchange, a pale fist crashed down onto the table in frustration. Everyone glanced at Weiss, noting her agitation. Weiss being annoyed at something wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. But this time she looked particularly pissy. Then she growled out:

"This is simply unacceptable. Unacceptable!"

Those seated at the table fully shifted her attention to her. Weiss continued to rant.

"I can't believe this! These credits are abysmal! They're WAY less than what we should have!"

It was at this point that Weiss shoved a team grading paper into Ruby's face. Looking slightly confused, Ruby read the paper. It showed that they had a total of seven team credits out of a possible ten. Ruby then handed the paper over to Yang and Blake so they could also look.

"Err... Weiss, seven credits is still pretty good. It's definitely a passing grade...", said Ruby.

"Yeah, Ice Princess, don't get your icicles into a glacier! It's all good.", added Yang. She then elbowed Blake to point out her joke. Blake could only roll her eyes at Yang's horrible attempt at a joke. If that was humor, then Blake would be a daimyo.

"It doesn't matter if it's just passing, Ruby! We need to be way better than this... this poor performance! And as team leader, you should do something about it!", chided Weiss.

Ruby began to wonder why they had less team credits than normal. They got all their work in on time! Well... mostly. So what could it be? Maybe it was all the library books Blake kept on turning in late. Or maybe it was the time Yang organized a drag race in the motor pool parking lot. It possibly could've been the time she accidentally blew a small hole (in her mind) in the botanical gardens in a freak Dust accident. Regardless, Ruby couldn't worry about the past too much. She had a job to do as team leader, darn it!

"It's okay Weiss! As team leader, I'll find a way to get our credits back!", proudly declared Ruby, standing dramatically on her seat. Everyone at the table stared at her. Seeing that they were waiting for an idea, she slowly sat back down.

"So... does anyone have any ideas?", asked Ruby, her face as red as her cloak in embarrassment. Weiss couldn't help but slap herself in the forehead at Ruby's failure to lead. It was team JNPR who started naming off ideas.

"You can collect arrows down at the firing range.", suggested Pyrrha. "I don't want to get shot, Pyrrha.", replied a dejected Ruby. "Sorry. That wasn't a good idea...", apologized Pyrrha.

"You can cook breakfast in the kitchen! Ohhh, can you make us ice cream?!", added Nora, excited at the idea.

"Try patching up the crater in the gardens.", said Ren. Ruby sank in her seat at the idea. "Seriously, the hedge maze is still half gone.", he continued. Ruby grabbed her hood and mumbled, "Pass, pass, pass...".

"You could work at the theater department. I know someone who needs the help."

Ruby picked up her head at what Jaune suggested.

"I didn't know we even had a theater department...", said Ruby.

"We did that PSA two months ago, remember?". Jaune looked slightly pained at the memory.

"Ohh... yeah...". Ruby tried to repress the memory of that trainwreck again.

"That's exactly why we need help.", continued Jaune. "It's just me and Velvet Scarlatina running it.".

"Err... no offense, Jauney-boy, but what are you doing at the theater? It doesn't really seem like- never mind, it does seem like you.", Yang asked.

Jaune looked especially sheepish at Yang's comment. "Well, I needed an elective credit.", he replied.

"Oh, and how exactly would that help us, HUH?!", spat a bitter Weiss.

"Well, we don't exactly have any plays being planned right now. So, if you help us out, You'll get some credit along with us. So how about it? Please? We could really use the help!", Jaune half-replied, half-begged.

"Jaune, that sounds like a GREAT idea! I've always loved musicals!", came an excited Ruby.

Yang, Blake, and Weiss especially look confused. They shared a collective, "EH?". "Who said we were doing a musical?", questioned Weiss. "I made an executive decision as team leader, of course!", replied a chipper Ruby. Weiss sighed. Ever since she had decided to support Ruby as team leader, Weiss couldn't really argue much whenever she completely set her mind on something.

"What are we waiting for? Show me the theater office, Jaune!". With that Ruby grabbed Jaune and dragged him away from his breakfast and out of the cafeteria. Jaune let out a small squeal in protest before he disappeared out of the door. Team WBY followed them to slow down their hyper leader, and Team NPR followed them to rescue their kidnapped friend.

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><p>Being subjected to the energy of Ruby and her semblance, Jaune had barely the mind to yell out directions to the office at her. So, after about twenty or so minutes of screamed directions and pleas to whatever gods may be listening, Ruby and Jaune made it to the theater office. Velvet Scarlatina was eating breakfast alone and doing some paperwork when an excited looking Ruby Rose and a terrified Jaune Arc crashed through the door. Velvet let out a squeak and ducked under her desk.<p>

"So this is your office? It looks kind of small...", observed Ruby.

"It-t-t-t's-s not-t that b-bad-d...", sputtered a pale looking Jaune.

Using the term 'office' to describe the workspace would be being a bit too generous. In actuality, the 'office' was a glorified janitor's closet, with a desk stuffed in one corner, and a file cabinet in the other. The window to purchase tickets was littered with unused ticket stubs. Truly, it was a pathetic sight to see. Clearly, whoever built this school really didn't care when it came to making offices for student clubs. Which was odd, considering the Janitorial Club's office was bigger than this.

Velvet climbed out from behind the desk. "Ruby, is that you?", she asked. "Heya, Velvet!", yelled a maybe too excited Ruby. Velvet let out a small yelp of terror at Ruby before ducking again. After another minute, she came out from under the desk again. "What can I help you with?".

"Well, Jaune here...", Ruby held up the now fainted Jaune, who had by now passed out from sheer terror (and possibly too much G-force exposure), "Said you guys needed some help with a play! I've come here on behalf of my team to volunteer our services! For credits, of course.". Ruby added the last part rather quickly.

"Really? Great!". Velvet sounded quite glad at the idea of an outsider's helping hand. After all, the last play she had put together was a PSA about practicing safe 'relationships' between teammates. It hadn't gone well in her opinion. She had gotten booed off stage halfway through the song "Mr. Snake Stays In His Cage". And it really hurt when the audience threw fresh fruit instead of the regular garbage. She didn't have much to lose at this point, especially her dignity.

"What exactly do you have in mind, Ruby?", asked a now more confident Velvet.

"A musical!", replied Ruby.

Velvet's smile grew a little. "Good, good! ...Any particular one?"

"..."

"..."

"... Nope."

Velvet's smile dropped a little. "That's... okay, we can work on that. As long as you're willing to put in the work, it shouldn't be much of a problem.". She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. "If you could put down who will be helping, we can at least get started.". With that being said, Ruby grabbed the pen and scrawled her name and her teammates on the paper.

"There! Now it's official. Welcome to the world of theater, Ruby!", declared Velvet.

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><p>WBY and NPR had a hard time trying to keep up with Ruby. She had sped off so fast, no one had any idea what direction she ran off to. It also didn't help that they had no idea where the theater office was or what it looked like. They had spent a good half hour looking for her and Jaune. However, when they heard the distinctive high pitched squealing of a cheering Ruby, they followed the sound towards a janitor's closet they had never really noticed before. When they opened the door, they saw an unusual sight: Velvet and Ruby dancing in joy, and a passed out Jaune slumped over a desk. Pyrrha immediately rushed over to Jaune's side.<p>

"Jaune. Jaune!". She tried to wake him up, but to no avail. Sighing, Pyrrha picked him up and put him over her shoulder. Moving to the door, she motioned to leave, not before turning to Team WBY.

"Let me know how it goes, Remember, we're more than willing to help out!", she called out to them.

"Are we?", questioned an even toned Ren.

"Yes, we are. Let's go.". With that, Team JNPR stepped into the hall. WBY could faintly hear them talking while walking away.

"Why are you grabbing him there, Pyrrha?", questioned Nora.

"Shhh. Don't ruin this for me.", Pyrrha replied.

Weiss, Blake, and Yang turned their attention to Ruby. After running around for a half hour, they wanted some answers. Weiss asked, "What just happened, Ruby?".

Ruby, excited at the prospect of making a musical, responded in the way you would expect her to:

"Jaune and I ran down the halls and he was yelling and helping me and so he said to go to this janitor's closet which really isn't a closet but an office and then he passed out and then I talked to Velvet to help us get those credits and then she said yes and then I signed us up to make a musical and then we celebrated our new partnership for the past few minutes and then you guys showed up!".

How Ruby had that much lung capacity, WBY had no clue. Maybe it was genetic. Besides that, it was clear they would have to wait to get a coherent answer. This made for a very awkward pause.

"I think we should just go back to our room. She can explain there.", suggested Blake.

"Agreed.", huffed a tired Yang and Weiss.

And with that Weiss grabbed Ruby by her hood and dragged her back to Team RWBY's dorm room. Yang and Blake just wanted to sort this whole thing out. Weiss just hoping that this wouldn't get too out of hand.

If irony was a person, they'd be laughing their ass off right about now.

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><p><strong>Whew! Well, there goes the set up for this story. Don't worry, the songs will come up eventually. Remember to rate &amp; review! This is The Draigg, signing off.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Casting Call, Please!

**It's me, The Draigg, again! Now that we've gotten the set-up out of the way, we can now focus on the stuff everyone wants more of: comedy! Well, that, and fleshing out the plot. Remember, I don't own RWBY (Monty Oum owns that.), or any other media mentioned. Just this story. Anyway, here's chapter two for ya.**

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><p>Getting a fully excited Ruby up several flights of stairs is roughly the same as wrestling an Ursa while covered in grease. That's why it took Yang holding her arms, Blake grabbing her torso, and Weiss dragging her legs in order to get her to their shared dorm room. However, even in her restrained state, Ruby still managed to accidentally kick Weiss about five times. As to be expected, Weiss' patience was worn down to the marrow by the time they managed to get through the door to their room two hours later.<p>

"Are you sure I just can't use some ice dust?" pleaded a thoroughly aggravated Weiss.

"NO!" was Blake and Yang's shared reply. Even if they were also tired and a bit peeved, it still wasn't a justification to turn Ruby into an ice sculpture.

"I'm just saying, it would be easier…" mumbled Weiss as WBY prepared to put Ruby on Weiss' bunk. As soon as they let go of Ruby, she continued to gush about all the possible ideas she had flowing through her head.

"Does anyone have any ideas on how to calm her?" asked Blake.

"Hold on, I got this." Yang then walked up to the bed where by now, Ruby had begun loudly humming songs she wanted in the play. Yang simply pressed her index fingers on each side of Ruby's nose. This stopped Ruby dead in the middle of trying to vocalize a guitar solo. After holding her fingers there for a minute, Yang let go and Ruby sat up.

"You see, the trick is to hold her nose. I have no idea why it works, but it does." explained Yang. Blake looked incredibly confused. Weiss wanted to know how that worked, even though she knew she wouldn't get much of an answer. Ruby climbed out of the bunk and sat down to her work desk, furiously writing on a piece of paper. Once she finished writing, she held out the paper for everyone to see. On it were various positions to be filled.

"Okay team, we need to fill these jobs A.S.A.P.! That's why I want to put you where I feel where you would be the best!" declared Ruby with a puff of her chest.

"You know, if you asked us before signing up to do a play, we would've thought about this already."

Ruby turned her attention to Weiss' statement. She replied, "Don't worry! I have full faith that you'll be able pull anything off! Now Weiss, I know you can sing well. That's why I'm making you the lead!".

Weiss was a bit stunned at Ruby's orders. Then a thought hit her. "Where did you even hear me sing?".

"Err… the showers" was the barely audible reply. Before Weiss could protest, Ruby moved on suspiciously quick. "Blake I know you like books, right?".

"Uh… yes?". Blake wanted to see where this incredibly obvious question was going.

"That's why I'm putting you on the writing team with Velvet. Your experience with literature would really help!". Weiss couldn't help but huff at Ruby's declaration. Weiss then added, "Ruby, I don't think all that smut of hers counts as real literature. I mean, 'Ninjas of Love'? What kind of name is that?".

This led to a rare outburst from Blake. "Hey! First of all, it's a book, therefore it's literature! Secondly, it's not smut, it's mature romance! Get it right!". Blake stopped before she said too much more. They just wouldn't understand the love felt between the Shinobi and Daimyo-sama. It was a sad world that her generation lived in.

Moving on, Ruby leveled a finger at Yang. "Yang! You'll be Blake's editor. I don't want any references to any dread castles or mystical love arts, okay?". Yang nodded her head in agreement. Blake rolled her eyes at the (somewhat accurate) accusation. She then took another look at the casting call.

"Ruby," observed Blake, ", there a still a lot of unfilled positions. Like who's going to be this second lead?".

"That would be me of course! I can't just idly by while a musical is going to be made!"

Blake continued, "Okay, but what about these other positions? There's still a few more.".

"Ohhh. Well, I know just the people!"

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><p>Team RWBY gathered around the door to Team JNPR's dorm. Knocking lightly, Ruby put on her best 'I'm Adorable' face. It always worked, especially on Weiss, for some reason. Jaune, holding a mug of calming tea, opened the door. Seeing Ruby smiling at him, a look of panic flashed over his face before slamming the door. Undaunted, Ruby knocked again. This time, Pyrrha answered, with Jaune standing several feet away.<p>

"Hey you guys, what can I do for you?" said Pyrrha.

"May we come in?" Weiss asked, shoving Ruby out of the way before she started to make demands.

"Of course! I'm sorry if the place is a little… unkempt." With that, Pyrrha stood aside to let them in. On a bed with it's covers completely thrown around (how did that sheet get on the ceiling?), Ren sat with Nora trying to show her how to put together a puzzle. A frightened looking Jaune sat in a corner, furiously chugging calming tea. "We have visitors!" noticed Nora. Ren looked slightly annoyed as she knocked over the puzzle as she leapt of the bed to greet them. He sighed, and started over again.

"Are you here to take Jaune again?" Nora wondered.

Jaune spat out his tea. "Oh dear GOD, not again!".

"Ruby here is looking for help with her—OUR musical. And since you offered to assist us, we've come here to take you up on it." came Weiss' reply.

"Speaking on the behalf of Jaune…", Pyrrha motioned to Jaune, who was holding up a pillow in defense, "…We would be more than glad to help you.".

"OHH! We can totally help you guys! We can do sets, and costumes, and food, and sets, and—", Nora was cut off by Ren covering her mouth. "What I believe she meant to say, is that we're more than willing to be in a musical—ech!". Ren recoiled his hand as Nora licked it to uncover her mouth. He certainly put up with a lot when dealing with Nora. At least it was worth it in… a few ways.

"Great! Here's the casting call! Pick a few slots, and we can get started!". Ruby slammed the paper on the bed. Ren sighed again as his puzzle flew all over the place for the second time. This just wasn't his day. Team JNPR gathered around the sheet. Pyrrha signed up for costume design, Nora and Ren wrote in their names for set design, and after Jaune felt confident that he wouldn't be dragged off again, put his name down for movement choreography.

"Wait, choreography? Can you really do that?", questioned Ren.

"Of course! I've had a lot of experience in dance.", Jaune said as he lost himself in a distant memory.

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><p>The arcade was packed. Between half-drunk twenty-somethings and small children, most games were filled. Except for one machine. It was the throne of the king. The hallowed area, if defiled, would bring immediate shame upon whoever brought filth upon it. Only the machine's master would allow others on it, as if to give himself a few moments of petty pleasure of crushing an opponent.<p>

The king walked into the arcade, as if he was a man strolling through a park, or as if he had wings that barely kept him grounded. In his pocket, play tokens, and in his mind, the growing feeling of entertainment when he saw challengers line up at the DDR machine. He looked upon the petty serfs with bemusement, as if he was a great beast toying with it's prey.

His name was Jaune Arc, and tonight's hunt was good.

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><p>"Jaune? Jaune!". Ruby shook his shoulder to bring him back to present day. It really creeped out everyone how he was staring off into space for about five minutes. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I can totally do it.", he replied as he regained his focus.<p>

"Okay, awesome! We're all good now! I'll hand this in to Velvet and then we can get started!". In a flash, Ruby disappeared in a cloud of rose petals as she activated her semblance. The others blinked to see that she was gone. Overall, this wasn't really that unexpected. "Should we go get her again?", suggested Yang.

Exasperated, Weiss said, "She's YOUR sister. You go get her.".

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><p>Velvet was having a very busy day so far. Ever since Ruby had crashed through her door wanting to make a musical, she had buried up to her neck in paperwork. She had to look up days Beacon Theater was open, she had to sign wavers that any property damaged was her responsibility, and most importantly, she had to write her weekly letter to the Administration Office reminding them that the Theater Club was incredibly sorry about last time.<p>

It was safe to say that everyone wanted to forget about that PSA disaster two months ago. 'Swords In Sheaths' hadn't gone over too well, to say the least. Thousands of lien had been spent repairing property damaged by angry students, several complaints were filed about 'disrespecting Faunus culture' (Even though Velvet wrote most of it.), and positive pregnancy tests among senior students actually rose 9.3%. The Theater Club lost what little respect it had in just one showing. At this point, she was enthused that Ruby could put on a show with the Club without starting another riot.

So, when Ruby came crashing through the door again after seeing her a few hours ago, she didn't mind as much as she normally would. Instead, she put on her best smile and stood to greet her as Ruby dislodged herself from the remains of the door.

"Velvet! I got my casting call all set up! Are we ready to start?!", half-announced, half-yelled the ever excited Ruby. Velvet tried her best not to worry about getting a replacement door and come up with an answer for her.

"Err… ummm… Okay, Ruby. I really like this energy, so keep that up. But ahh… this is going to take a little bit of time. I should get permission to use the theater by Monday.", came Velvet's reply. She couldn't help but think to herself: _If they bothered to reply to me this time._

Ruby deflated a little bit at her reply. However, she still kept her game face on. "Okay, Velvs, don't you worry. I'll get this thing written up, and then we can get started!". With that, she put the casting call on her desk and sped out of the room in a puff of rose petals. Velvet slumped down in her chair. While Ruby's energy was admirable, she sincerely hoped that this wouldn't end in an even bigger disaster. She was still paying for some of those damages, after all.

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><p>By now, Team WBY went back to their room, not wanting to spend another few hours dragging Ruby to her room again. Weiss was studying, Yang was playing a game on her scroll, and Blake was updating her fan-fict— no, doing history homework. Ninjas and the placement of ancient Hunter fortresses are practically the same thing, right? It was at this point that Ruby actually walked through the door, this time. It was almost as if Ruby had a vendetta against doors, given how many she crashed through.<p>

"Well, it's going to take a little while to get this musical off the ground...", Ruby said to nobody in particular. Not that anyone was paying attention that much. "But I still want work being done on it, okay? Think you can start writing, Blake?".

Saving her latest chapter for 'Shinobi Romance: Passion Champloo', Blake said, "Sure, it wasn't like I was doing much anyway.". She then glanced around to see if anyone noticed what she was typing. Unknown to her, pretty much everyone on Team RWBY knew already. She often left her laptop open on her fan-fiction profile by mistake. She opened a new window on her word processor.

"What do you want it to be called, Ruby?"

Ruby put her finger up to her chin. It looked like she was thinking way too hard about this. Suddenly, she spoke up:

"I know! Call it 'The Sounds Of Vale'! Now let's get started!".

At her command, Blake started to type out a few ideas she had. Oh, she'll have FUN working on this play.

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><p><strong>Ooooh, title drop! That's the end of chapter two, and things are starting to move along. Remember to shoot a few reviews my way! This is The Draigg, signing off.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Love's Opening Act

**Are you guys ready for another chapter? I hope so, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. Remember, I don't own RWBY (that honor goes to Monty Oum), or any other media (plays, music, movies, etc.) mentioned, just this story. Now let's get started!**

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><p>Weiss had a nasty habit of sleeping in. Ever since she melted Ruby's 'team spirit' whistle with fire dust, she figured that either A) they stopped waking her out of spite, or B) they were slightly afraid of waking her. She didn't really care on which one it was. Both were equally annoying. So, when she found that the room was completely empty that Sunday morning, a familiar feeling of annoyance washed over her. Just once she wanted Ruby to be considerate and wait for her. Or, better yet, make her breakfast in bed. Maybe she could serve it with a hung and a kis-. <em>No,<em> thought Weiss_, I need to stop thinking that._ She pushed that common thought out of mind. She NEEDED to be with a man. She was obligated to provide a male heir to the Schnee family. However, in completely honesty, she had no clue what she wanted. Sighing, she moved over to bathroom and started the shower.

The water poured over her head, much like the feelings of confusion and guilt she carried with her. How could she… 'like' someone like Ruby? Was it even just 'liking'? Ruby, after all, was the most annoying, hyperactive, clueless, purest, friendliest, and passionate person she had ever met. Not that she ever had much experience in meeting people. Before coming to Beacon, the only people she ever met were her family and whatever boys her father brought over to try to hook her up with. Hell, she barely even talked to her house staff. Weiss didn't even know if she COULD talk to anybody. Would Ruby even like to hear what she had to say? She just wanted to tell Ruby was that even though she could be a pain, she really did enjoy her optimism and potential strength. All she could do is sigh to herself as she started scrubbing. Maybe she could sort out these thoughts once and for all. It's gone on for long enough.

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><p>On Sundays, the cafeteria was usually less crowded than any other day. Most of the students either finished last minute homework or attended services for whatever god(s) they worshiped. It was mornings like this that Teams RWBY and JNPR liked the most. The quiet was really relaxing compared to the normal hustle and bustle of breakfast. No destructive food fights, no immediately due essays, and no Team CRDL getting into another fistfight amongst themselves.<p>

This morning, however, was actually similar to the weekday ones. Both teams started to work on that musical they signed up for/got shanghaied into doing. Ruby, feeling herself to be a natural thespian, found a funny looking hat and started to quote random plays. When asked about it, she replied, "I'm just getting into character.". Yang and Blake were working on something with Blake's laptop, occasionally giggling. Ren and Nora were discussing what sets to use. Or rather, it was more of Ren telling Nora they couldn't start if the story wasn't even finished yet. Pyrrha was grabbing Jaune under the pretense of wanting to get his measurements. Jaune was trying to fend her off, saying this was neither the time, nor place. He felt awkward when she got grabby in the mornings. So, all in all, this morning was pretty much what they expected it to be.

Weiss, having finished he daily routine, walked over to RWBY and JNPR's shared table. She slumped over into a spot next to Ruby. Any morning where she questioned herself was never a good one. Ruby, in the middle of a monologue, put her arm around Weiss. She hoped that no one would notice her blush from Ruby's contact.

"Oh! What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals!", declared an over dramatic Ruby.

Weiss' reaction was a bit mixed. On the one hand, she felt that Ruby was being annoying. On the other hand, it was pretty hard to take Ruby seriously with that funny looking hat on her head. On the third, imaginary, hand, she felt flattered, if that monologue was directed at her. Hearing praise from her felt rather nice. But, getting back to reality, Weiss felt that the best option was to scold Ruby.

"What are you doing? And what is with that ridiculous hat? Seriously, are you five? Act your age.". If Weiss was good at one thing, it was taking the wind out of people's metaphorical sails. People couldn't do that literally yet, but the Schnee research labs were working on that. Regardless, Ruby took the hat off and wrung it on her hands.

"I just wanted to practice…", mumbled a dejected Ruby.

"Well, I know it might be physically hard for yourself, but THINK before you act.", Weiss spat out.

Weiss could feel the warmth of Yang's aura flaring. That was never a good sign. Yang immediately jumped to Ruby's defense: "Hey Ice Princess, at least she wants to get some work done. Knowing you, you'd just drag your feet at this thing YOU started.".

Weiss wanted to get angry, but she knew she was being cold. She hated herself for being like that. But, she felt locked into that role, decided for her from birth. Being like the snow she was named after was what she was raised to be like. Maybe that's why she had a hard time talking to people. Weiss really hated her dad for that.

The best response Weiss could come up with was to give a non-committal grunt and storm off to get breakfast. Maybe some food would make her feel better. Food. That was something people enjoyed. But what did she enjoy? Ruby. But how could she get to her heart? She really had no clue. It was easy to shove people away, to close up her own heart. Maybe all she needed was some advice. If she could find someone to talk to, maybe that would clear up her mind. That way, she would be free to decide things for herself. Now that sounded like a plan. Grabbing some apple oatmeal, she returned to the table.

Weiss flagged over Jaune's attention: "Jaune.".

Jaune looked surprised that Weiss was talking to him. Pyrrha looked less than enthused. She needed to feel him u—get his measurements. Yeah.

"Wha—what can I do for ya, Weiss?"

"Is Velvet always at the club office?"

"Yeah… I mean, she's pretty shy, so-"

"I think you should pay her a visit, Weiss. You know, get to work on this play.", interjected Pyrrha.

"I agree. Now if you'll excuse me.". With that, Weiss grabbed her oatmeal and left the table. Nobody was particularly shocked at her leaving. As long as she started working on the play, it was fine.

* * *

><p>Scarfing down her breakfast as she was walking down the hallway, Weiss couldn't help but have second thoughts. Should she look to Velvet to help? With her being the silent, shy type, she knew Velvet wouldn't say much. But Weiss didn't know if she had any actual advice to give. Oh well, she would just have to gamble on that notion.<p>

Tossing away the remains of her small meal, Weiss prepared her speech to Velvet in her head. She would say that even though Weiss only knew her as an acquaintance, she trusted her opinion, and more importantly, to remain quiet. Then she would outline that she felt… something for a teammate, and she needed some advice. Weiss could only hope it went well from there. Before she really prepare, she was standing at the door of the office already.

* * *

><p>Velvet's morning was going about as well as Weiss'. After filing her paperwork at the Administration Office, she walked to the cafeteria only to find out her favorite breakfast, carrot cake muffins, was completely gone. Settling for plain muffins, she made her way over to club office. Seeing that the door was slightly ajar, she sighed. This wouldn't be the first time a janitor would store their supplies in there. This time wasn't any different from the others. So, after moving the various cleaning products into a corner, she slumped over into her desk. To be completely honest, she wasn't confident that this play would get off the ground. Given the looks she got at the office, not everybody had forgiven her for that little play two months ago. But, she had to make this happen for the sake of her friends. She couldn't let them down, damn it! Just when she considered paying off the school staff, she heard a knock at the door.<p>

Answering it, she was surprised to see just Weiss standing there. And, judging by her looks, she wasn't very spry this morning, either. Hell, she was having trouble just making eye contact. She kept looking down the hall, as if she was afraid that someone saw her. It wasn't often that she saw the confident, rich heiress look so nervous. Finally locking eyes with her, Weiss whispered:

"Velvet, can I talk to you? Privately?"

"Err… sure Weiss. Y-you know, my door is always open to you."

Showing Velvet into the office, Weiss slammed the door behind her. She then turned to a confused looking Velvet. Weiss was having a hard time forming words. What happened to her plan? Should she leave? No, she mustn't run away! "_I mustn't run away!_", chanted Weiss in her mind.

"I… I would like to talk to you about someone.", was what Weiss said when she found her voice.

"Someone?"

"Someone."

An awkward silence filled the room.

"Well, take a seat". Velvet pulled out a chair for Weiss. Seating herself behind the desk, Velvet couldn't help but be curious, and a little worried. Weiss, meanwhile, gathered as much composure as he could.

"There's… someone that I—a friend likes. Maybe in a certain way. Is there any way you could give me some advice? Confidentially?", Weiss managed to say.

Velvet's mind clicked. So that's what this weird attitude was about! But, she couldn't help but feel a little confused as to why Weiss came to her for advice. She wasn't involved with anybody! Velvet's confusion grew.

"You want… relationship advice?". Weiss' blushed face could only nod in confirmation.

"Umm… why me? I-I mean, yeah, we can talk, but don't we have counselors for this exact reason?"

Weiss said, "Yes, but my father might hear about it if—no, WHEN he talks to them. So, that's why I came to you.".

Velvet looked shocked. Weiss was actually placing her trust in her! Yet, she doubted her own abilities.

"But… I made that disaster about relationships! How could I possibly help?".

"I actually found it quite informative.", said Weiss.

Happy that someone actually liked her play, Velvet was now in the proper mood to help.

"Okay, okay… just pour out what you're thinking, and we can work from there.".

Weiss' mind at that point was like a steam pipe ready to burst. So, she started to rant:

"I don't know what I'm feeling! Is it love? Is it something else? Anything?! I don't know! And I can't tell her, because of myself. Me! The way I am! A coward, nothing more! A coward! Coward! I can't admit anything to Ruby! I hate it!". Weiss dropped her head. Her chest started to hitch with hyperventilation. Her hands began to subconsciously clench and unclench. Clearly, this was months of thoughts and inner conflict coming to a head.

Velvet was stunned. Ruby?! She was in love with Ruby? Now that she thought about it, it made a bit of sense. They did spend a lot of time together, even if they argued a lot. And Ruby DID put in a large effort to include her in her life. Maybe it was all that 'opposites attract' stuff she had heard about. Turing her thoughts to the crisis at hand, she tried to comfort Weiss:

"It's okay, it's okay. Just let it out. You'll feel better.". Velvet was blinking out tears of sympathy.

Weiss continued to breathe hard. "I don't know what to do! I can't make a decision! It hurts so much! At least when I closed up, it didn't hurt like THIS!". Weiss buried her face in her hands. Velvet felt helpless. She couldn't help. Not in this way. This was something that she had no experience in. So, wiping away her tears, she said the first thing that came to mind:

"W-w-weiss… *sniff*. You-you need to figure out what you want. What hurts the least. I-I know it may be tough, but this is r-really up to you." Velvet felt awkward saying that. She tried to find an opportunity to get out, get away from this.

"I'll… get you a paper bag. You know… for…", Velvet awkwardly cut herself off as she quickly left the room.

* * *

><p>Weiss sat there for a few minutes, her breathing starting to slow down. She felt helpless. She felt dirty. Was this any way to live? When she closed up and kept her distance, it at least didn't hurt so much. Maybe she needed to seal herself way from the world. She just wanted to crawl under a rock and never see anyone again. What a cowardly way to go. If it came down to it, she would rather close her heart again than never see Ruby again. Maybe that's what she needed to do. "<em>I just need to buy some time."<em>, thought Weiss, _"Maybe then I can think of something."_. She deluded herself into thinking this was a good idea. Picking herself up out of the chair, she steeled her gaze. Distance would be for the best. Controlling her breathing, she stepped into the hallway. _"Yes."_, Weiss though,_ "This has to be the way things are."_.

When Velvet came back, she found the office empty. Weiss avoided everybody else that morning, sealing herself away from the world.

**Okay, now the romance plot is starting to pick up. I hope it doesn't sound too bad. Remember to tell me what you think, in the best way possible: reviews! This is The Draigg, signing off.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Playwright(ing)

**Hello there! It's The Draigg! If you're reading this story, you already know about that last chapter's romance bomb. Let's see how we can ride that shockwave. Just a reminder, RWBY is owned by Monty Oum, and any other media (songs, movies, etc.) belongs to their respective owners.**

Working on a story was nothing really new to Blake. With all that fan-fiction she wrote, she was bound to have at least SOME experience. So, writing a play should be no problem. Well, it might be tricky for her to not add in her usual trademarks of magic romance powers and harems, but Blake felt she could get around that issue. And plus, without Weiss around to blow up at every single thing her teammates did, she was able to work without much distraction.

Or, that was her plan, at least. When they finished breakfast and went back to the dorm room, Yang wasn't really being much of an editor as much as a walking bundle of puns and innuendos. Normally, Blake wouldn't mind that much (The innuendos. Puns could go die in a fire.), but she was starting to get invested in this musical. So, when Yang distracted her with another of her (lame) jokes, her patience was waning.

"Hey Blake! What do you say about a sexy bowl of fruit?".

Blake rolled her eyes. Of course this had to be a sexual joke. When innuendos and puns mixed, it rarely came out good. Blake decided wisely not to guess.

"They have a really nice PEAR! Hahahaha!". Yang literally slapped her knee in mirth. Blake couldn't help but wonder what she even saw in Yang. And of course, she HAD to top it off with a squeeze of her chest. Blake was glad Ruby wasn't here to hear and see this. She was still pestering Pyrrha to include her goofy hat with the costumes. Luckily, she had a way to deal with Yang. She walked over to her and whispered into her ear:

"I guess that makes you my fruit. Man, I'd just LOVE to take a bite out of you right now.", Blake purred. Yang stopped in her tracks and gulped.

"R-really? Right now? Ruby might walk in on us!".

"That makes it more exciting…", Blake said in her best seductive voice. She then quickly licked Yang's ear. Yang immediately froze up, a bright red blush across her face. Blake chuckled, and walked back over to her laptop.

"You know, for all your bravado, you're STILL too easy.". Blake clearly had some fun messing with Yang.

Yang couldn't help but be stunned for a minute. Then she huffed under her breath, "It isn't fun when you do it…". "You like it, though.", noted Blake. Yang couldn't argue with that notion. She liked it when kitty used her claws. Damn that cat and her wiles! Yang pulled up a chair next to where Blake was working and looked at the script. Scanning over it, she asked:

"So, what's the basic story here? Any good stuff?".

"Well, literature is ALWAYS good. You should know that by now, Yang.". Blake wasn't kidding. She learned things she never knew she could do from those ninja books. Yang never complained about those moves, as far she knew.

Blake continued, " And what I'm writing is a romance story. It's about this florist new to Vale, who falls in love with a street performer who plays music across from her shop. But, since she has to take care of her sick dad, she doesn't know if she can pursue a romance. Something among those lines.".

Yang nodded as she listened to Blake's explanation. Then, something clicked:

"Hey, aren't the leads Ruby and Weiss? What make you think they'll be up to acting this out?".

"Why do you think I'm writing this?", said Blake, "It's pretty clear that Ruby feels something for Weiss. We can make this work for them.".

Yang couldn't help but laugh at that idea. Seriously? Ice Princess? Why her? She knew they DID spend a lot of time together. Sparing, shopping, doing homework, going to the lockers together, looking into each others—

Oh. Now it made plenty of sense. How hadn't Yang seen it before? And why didn't Ruby tell her?! And WHY Weiss?! She wasn't good enough for her sister!

Blake watched at Yang's face transform from laughter, to shock, then to anger. Growling, Yang stood up and cocked Ember Celica.

"I'm gonna MELT that Ice Princess.", she declared before being stopped by Blake's grip on her shoulder.

"Not now, we still need her for this play.", was Blake's plea.

"But… my SISTER? Why? If she hurts her, I'll personally commit regicide on her!". Trying to rein in Yang's currently murderous intent, Blake tried to put her charm on again.

"I LOVE it when you get so angry. You're so hot. And it makes me the same way.". Blake ran a finger along Yang's now shaking chin. "In fact, it's TOO hot in her. How about we… cool down?". Blake gestured to her bed.

Fighting inwardly with herself, Yang gave into temptation. She collapsed Ember Celica into it's bracelet form and leapt onto the bed. Blake pinned her down. All was going well so far. Or it was, until Blake pointed at her face and started to lecture her:

"Now, before you say anything, let me say this: You will NOT kill Weiss. I know you love your little sister, but it'll break her heart if you make Weiss' skin into a new jacket. So, we'll keep this civil and try to make this work out for the both of them. Got it?". Blake then crawled off of Yang and went back to work on her script.

Yang felt rather dazed. She could use a cigarette (or ten), even though she never smoked in her life. This teasing just kept making her bothered. Huffing, she sat up.

"You just like teasing me, don't you?"

Blake didn't look over her shoulder as she gave her reply: "That's why I chose you, Yang.".

It was a well-known fact in nature that cats like to play with their prey before moving in for the kill. Blake was good at letting nature run it's course.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, just across the hallway, a pleading Ruby kept on clawing at Team JNPR's door.<p>

"Pleassssseeeeeee….! I can really pull it off!"

"I'm sorry, Ruby,", came Pyrrha's muffled voice, "but that hat won't work in ANY way! You can't have a hat!".

Ruby briefly looked at the purple sequin trilby with a long red feather. She didn't really see what the problem is. It was spry! It was fashionable! It really could work! She continued her assault:

"Come on! Hey, Jaune! Do you think this hat looks cool?".

Jaune's barely heard reply was: "Ruby, I think a flat-cap would work better, honestly.".

Now THAT was an idea. Thanking Jaune, she ran off to the theater storage. Maybe they had one there! Ruby could hear Pyrrha as she ran off.

"Why did you tell her she could have a hat?".

* * *

><p>Ruby tried to not damage the door as she crashed through it. If she kept on doing that, Beacon would start to fine her. Team CRDL was up to their proverbial assholes in repair fees. School supplies were expensive enough without people stealing them or making them unusable. However, it was clear barely anybody used these supplies. Most were covered in a heavy layer of dust. Except for that snake costume in the corner, weirdly enough.<p>

As Ruby wandered around looking for a flat-cap, she faintly heard breathing. Curious, she looked under the costume racks. She saw a familiar white dress sitting down. Weiss? She walked up to Weiss.

"Hey Weiss… what are you doing here?". Weiss looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. Clearly, she was rather upset at something. Ruby began to feel worried. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?".

Weiss put her head down. "Just go away.", she ordered.

Ruby kneeled down next to her. Why did she want her to leave? All she wanted to do is help.

"I said, go away.", she ordered again. Ruby tried to put her arm around Weiss. But before she could hug her, she was shoved away.

"Don't touch me! Just go away! Please!". Ruby stood back up, hurt that Weiss didn't want to see her. She squeaked out:

"O-okay… I don't know what you're feeling, but just remember. I'm always here for you.". With her head held a little low, Ruby walked out of the room and slowly shut the door. The search for a hat would have to wait. Weiss was left alone with her thoughts.

"It's you, Ruby. It's always been about you…", she mumbled to herself. A few tears ran down her cheeks. "Always you…".

Loneliness. That's all Weiss knew. That's all she was used to. Everyone left her. Her father and mother were never there when she needed them. Her grandparents died a while ago. Her family was being picked off one by one by the White Fang. They were long gone. And everybody around her kept their distance. All of those maids and butlers seemed afraid to get closer to her. Weiss had no doubt that it was her father's doing.

But when she got to Beacon, she met Ruby. She was the first person Weiss met who never judged her for her name or wealth. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and tried no matter what to be friends with Weiss. Weiss admired that strength, to allow yourself to be open with others. She wished that she could do that. Openness was never easy to her. It just hurt too much to say what she felt.

"_I'm such a coward._", thought Weiss. Coward! COWARD! That's all she was, pushing away who she loved more than anything. COWARD! She was just a child, who never cared how much she hurt others when pushing them away. CHILDISH COWARD! Her fate was to die alone, unhappy at her life. She was destined to hate herself, her weakness, and it was all her fault. COWARD!

COWARD!

_COWARD!_

**COWARD!**

Weiss clutched her head and rocked back and forth. She suppressed a wail in her throat. Loneliness was unbearable. She wanted to crawl away and die. But then she would never see Ruby again. She would just let her down again. It felt like the universe hated her. The universe was a sadistic monster. It wanted to whip her with her own sorrow, to punish her for her weakness. She wasn't perfect. She was garbage.

Garbage! _Dolt!_ **Klutz!** Dunce! **_MORON_****_!_** Every insult she hurled at Ruby floated around in her head.

Weiss reveled in her self-inflicted punishment with masochistic determination. It's all her fault. How could she fix anything? Could she? If all she could do is hurt herself and others, how could she fix that problem? Loneliness. She was poison to others. By sealing herself away, maybe she could save Ruby from all the pain that comes from being near her.

"Just grant me despair.", Weiss whispered, voicing her thoughts.

The storage room filled with the fear of loneliness.

* * *

><p>"But Rennnn…. I'm just saying this will be perfect!".<p>

Ren shook his head. Nora had somehow had gotten into her head that the play needed a person dressed as a tree. Ever since Nora had gotten the role as a tree in an elementary school play, she would always look for the tree people whenever she saw a stage show.

"Nora, I doubt that the play either needs, or is set in a world where ents exist.", was Ren's dry reply.

"You can't say that for certain! Right, Jaune?".

"I guess you're right.", answered Jaune.

This all started when Ren stepped out with Pyrrha for 10 minutes to get some snacks for the work group. When he came back, Nora had somehow constructed a tree costume out of cardboard for Jaune, which he was currently wearing. Ren immediately disagreed with the costume.

Pyrrha felt a little worried for Jaune when she saw the costume. Only the gods could help him when it comes to what Nora might have done to him. Jaune saying that he got in it voluntarily did little to lessen her worry.

"Are you're sure you're okay in there?", she asked.

"Oh, I feel pretty good. But it's getting a little warm in this tree.", replied Jaune. Truth to be told, it was hard getting into that costume. He had to take off most of his armor and clothes in order to fit in it. And, despite Nora's belief, just because refrigerators came in cardboard boxes doesn't mean it's cool in there. Jaune was covered in a fine layer of sweat under the costume. "I think I'll just take it off now. Nora?". Nora started to lift the tree off of his frame.

As much as Pyrrha wouldn't admit it, she was attracted to certain… things. Different things. She didn't know why, but she just couldn't stop staring when it came to people covered in sweat. It was so natural, so rugged. So, when Jaune was stripped down to his underwear, glistening with sweat as he tried to climb out of the tree costume, she couldn't help but have her eyes glaze over at the view.

"Pyrrha, you're drooling.", droned Ren.

That stopped Pyrrha from starting. However, that didn't stop her from taking mental photographs. For… reasons. Quickly wiping off the drool from her chin, she moved over to help Jaune get the tree over his head.

"_Typical Pyrrha_.", thought Ren. Even though Pyrrha was often held up to high standards, being around her reminded Ren that she too was a teenager. A hormonal one, at that. Ever since Jaune recalled to him that their training sessions had started to get more "hands-on", he had figured that Pyrrha really need a release. At least he never had that problem. That was one of the benefits of being friends with Nora. Sure, they weren't officially together, but they weren't NOT together. As if that makes any sense.

As soon as Jaune was freed from his tree prison, he started to put his clothes back on. Pyrrha couldn't help but pout a little in protest. Wait! She had some of his sweat on her hand! Ohh… that felt nice.

Trying not to be grossed the hell out, Ren acted quickly. He pulled out a small bottle, saying, "Who wants some hand sanitizer?". Jaune and Pyrrha agreed. Pyrrha was a little reluctant, but also put some on her hands. Inwardly, Ren sighed.

It really did feel like that he was a babysitter sometimes.

**Man, you can't stop this relationship train! Remember, you can tell me how much my writing may or may not suck in the reviews! This is The Draigg, signing off!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: White Rose Bushes

**Hey folks, The Draigg has come back with more! I'm really glad that I've started to get some reviews coming in! Keep it up! I should note that I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum does. And any other piece of media mentioned belongs to their respective owners as well. Let's get started!**

* * *

><p>That Sunday passed by without too much trouble. Nearly everybody else was wrapped up with their work to notice that Weiss was missing. Ruby, however, was shaken by her absence. What had really happened that caused Weiss to act like that? Ruby was used to her anger and exasperation. But, when she looked in her eyes, she saw a profound sadness ripping her apart inside. Ruby felt helpless to help her. Even when Weiss came back that night to sleep, she refused to talk to anyone. That stung. It truly hurt Ruby's heart to see Weiss be so out of character. She would be even deal with another of her lectures, if it meant that she would go back to normal. It hurt not spending time with her.<p>

* * *

><p>Monday. Another drab, dragging Monday. That breakfast was filled with conflicting feelings. On the one hand, Ruby was feeling a little excited at the idea of the play being approved. On the other hand, Weiss was really worrying her. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Weiss staring off into space. She really needed to talk to her later. As team leader, it was the least she could do.<p>

Finishing her breakfast, she decided to make a quick stop to the Theater Office to check in with Velvet before class. Ruby started to think as she walked down the hallway:

"_Did I say something wrong? Is the play bothering Weiss? Maybe she doesn't feel confident enough for her role._".

Ruby opened the door to find Velvet packing up her bag for class. "Hey, Velvet!", she greeted.".

Velvet let out a little yelp in surprise. It was Ruby, of course. Did anything happen between her and Weiss? Seeing that Ruby was waiting for some news, Velvet put on her best smile.

"Guess what? We got approved, Ruby!", beamed Velvet. But the play wouldn't be easy to pull off. Velvet explained that she was surprised when she got a letter back from the Administration Office, saying that they approved of her using the Theater two weeks from now. However, the letter outlined a few conditions: Velvet could not act on stage, nor sing songs. Also, they couldn't spend more than 500 lien. Finally, any damages that may occur will be solely placed on her, and she would have to pay for anything damaged or destroyed. Considering what happened last time, they were being pretty lenient.

Ruby's spirits improved at the news. Finally, a dream of hers was finally coming true! But, it somehow didn't feel right. She wanted to share her joy with Weiss. Thanking Velvet for the news, she walked over to her first period class. Ruby was filled with resolve. She was going to talk to Weiss, even if it killed her.

* * *

><p>Weiss sat a little farther away from her team than usual today. She wasn't up for saying much. And, if the others saw her condition, that would lead them to asking questions. Questions that she didn't know if she could answer. Plus, the last time she began to wonder about her and Ruby's relationship, she was barely able to keep her composure. Who's to say that she wouldn't break down into a wretched, crying heap the next time? Weiss was shaken out of her thoughts when something hit her in the head.<p>

Picking up the object, it was a paper airplane. Given it's poor craftsmanship, it could have only been made by Ruby. She had the dexterity of an amputee fish when it came down to that type of thing. Seeing something written on the inside, she unfolded the airplane. It read:

_Meet me at the snack bar as soon as today's classes are over. We should talk._

Weiss' breath hitched. Talk? About what? Wait… did Velvet reveal her secret to Ruby? Now she really was curious. If her suspicions were correct, she would have a lot of explaining to do. Sighing inwardly at her fate, she glanced over to where Ruby was sitting.

When Weiss turned her head to her, Ruby was glad that at least she acknowledged her note. If she could see Weiss better from that distance, she would see the fear in her eyes. Instead, Ruby gave a warm smile to Weiss. In reply, Weiss gave a small nod, then turned back her attention to the front of the class. "_Good,_", thought Ruby, "_Now I can find out what's been bothering her._". The stage was set for a good old fashioned heart to heart.

* * *

><p>The Beacon Academy snack bar was located near the botanical garden. Luckily, when that freak dust accident Ruby caused blew up a significant portion of the garden, the snack bar didn't suffer too much damage. Unfortunately, however, the view from the snack bar was ruined, even in the light of the evening sun. "<em>It's a shame, too.<em>", thought Weiss. "_I really liked those white rose bushes._". Most of them got incinerated in the explosion. Ruby had gotten of fairly lightly for the explosion, having to work as a cashier for a month. That memory never ceased to bring a smile to Weiss' face. It was adorable, seeing Ruby standing there in her uniform, working the register. She often tried to buy as much of the packaged cookies as possible before her shift, hoping to save them for later. Those cookies never made it past the next hour. Weiss then sighed at that thought. Why couldn't things go back to the way it was before? Oh well, it was far too late now to leave. She could see Ruby walking up the brick walkway.

Ruby couldn't help but feel a little nervous. What if Weiss blew up at her? What if… she was thinking of not being friends anymore? The idea terrified Ruby. But seeing Weiss sitting alone at the iron wrought table, the sun reflecting off of her silver hair, she felt a little better. She could do this. But how should she start? Well, Yang had always said the best impressions are made with jokes. So, as soon as she sat at the table, she gave it a try.

'H-hey Weiss? Knock knock.". Weiss looked a little confused, but didn't answer.

"Knock, knock.", Ruby tried again.

Sighing, Weiss replied, "Really, Ruby?". Ruby looked a little hurt. Trying to salvage this talk, she tried, "Fine. Who's there?".

"Rufus.".

"Rufus who?".

"Rufus are a very important part of houses!", concluded Ruby with a smile.

Weiss smirked ever so slightly, and let out a small huff instead of laughter. Apparently bad jokes were in the bloodline, if her sister was anything to judge by. Still, Weiss felt a little better seeing Ruby being her dorky, adorable self. A bit more relaxed, she asked, "What do you want to talk about?".

"Well…", Ruby couldn't help but play with her fingers as she talked. "You've been acting weird all of yesterday and today. Is something wrong with you? Are you okay?". Ruby then grabbed Weiss' hand and held it, as if to comfort her.

Weiss' body tensed at the touch. She desperately wanted to say that yes, something was definitely wrong. She wanted to admit that she didn't know what she was feeling for Ruby, but it was probably love. And she was downright afraid of it. Her dad would never allow her to date anyone of the same gender. And she wanted to warn Ruby that if he found out, they would never see each other again. But, at the same time, she didn't want to scare Ruby with that she thought. So, putting on her best smile, she said:

"Ruby, you dolt! You don't need to worry about me, I can take it. I was just a little upset at our team credits, is all.". She wasn't exactly lying. The whole credit issue made her confide in someone she had met because of it. Still, she felt bad about concealing the truth.

Ruby seemed to accept this excuse for what it was. It made enough sense, after all. Weiss had always been a bit of a perfectionist, even when it came to other's grades. Ruby was grateful that Weiss took the time to help her with her homework. Not only was it helpful for her grades, but Ruby always felt a little more relaxed around Weiss. She was so elegant, so graceful. If Ruby could make a comparison, she would say that Weiss reminded her of the swans that swam in the ponds around the garden. Sure, she had a bit of a mean streak, but Ruby felt that it was just covering up a sensitive heart. She really did care for her friends.

"Thanks for feeling concerned for me, but it wasn't really necessary.", said Weiss.

"Well, of course I would! A team leader always looks out for her friend!", boasted Ruby.

Friend. The word stuck in Weiss' heart. Not a partner, not an associate, but a friend. Someone who can call someone else their own. It wasn't like being a lover, but it was close enough. It was the best Weiss could do for now. "_Until I say what I couldn't for months._", Weiss thought. But then Ruby dragged her out of her thoughts.

"Hey… uhh… Weiss? I kinda, sorta forgot my wallet back at the room. And those cookies look REALLY good. Can you, uhh, spot me some lien? I swear, I'll make it up to you!", she begged. She tugged out her empty pockets for emphasis.

Weiss sighed, and then said, "Fine, but just ONE. You really need to be more responsible.". She walked up to the snack bar with Ruby. Forking over 5 lien, she got a chocolate chip cookie, Ruby's favorite type. Ruby smiled as they walked down the brick path, back to their dorm room. Talking with her mouth full of cookie, Ruby said, "Thhankphs, Weissh. I'll phay youpth bhack.".

"It's okay, you don't need to.", was Weiss' reply. Being around Ruby was worth even more than Remnant's supply of silver to her. She would never trade her company for anything else. Glancing at the few white rose bushes left, she thought, "_We're just like those bushes. Two separate things that come together to make something beautiful._". Yeah, white roses were definitely Weiss's favorite flower.

* * *

><p>Opening the door to Team RWBY's room, Ruby and Weiss were greeted by a scowling Yang and a smirking Blake. Clearly, something was up.<p>

"Hey, what were you two doing alone together? It BETTER not be what I'm thinking of.", spat Yang. That got her a quick elbow in the ribs from Blake. Blake then said, "I just ran my script past Velvet. Good news! We're officially ready to start making the play now!".

Ruby cheered and pulled everyone in for a group hug. How was she that strong? It wasn't exactly the best group hug either, with Weiss trying desperately not to think about Ruby's chest pressing up against her, and Yang looking like she was trying to incinerate Weiss with her mind. Blake was trying to suppress a chuckle at the sight. She knew Yang wouldn't try anything too serious with her around. It was good thing that Ruby was simply too overjoyed to really pay attention. Or maybe it was the sugar rush. With her, it was always too easy to mix enthusiasm with sugar consumption.

Once she released everyone from that vice grip of a group hug, she immediately declared:

"All right everyone, let's kick this into high gear! We'll start practicing and setting up stuff tomorrow after class. We've got a musical to do, people!".

"Ruby, please get off the desk. I can see up your skirt.", requested a scarlet face Weiss. Ruby hadn't even noticed that she climbed on top of it in the first place. Blake had to hold back Yang by the arm at Weiss' comment. It wouldn't be easy to keep Yang calm if stuff like this kept on happening. Blake couldn't help but think, "_This is like one of my fan fictions._". Maybe she could write that into 'Shinobi Romance: Passion Champloo' once she was finished with the play. She could probably squeeze that in there, right after the assault on Castle Pleasure and the intimate healing chapter.

Climbing off of the desk, Ruby couldn't help but feel that made her sound less dramatic. Trying again, she clenched her fist and said, "From this moment onward, we'll practice and get all the sets ready after class every day! We've only got two weeks! Contact Team JNPR and tell them the same! From here on out, Operation: The Sounds Of Vale is in effect! Team RWBY, launch!".

That got her mostly blank looks from everyone. Weiss was shaking her head slightly, and Blake looked a little confused. Sighing, Ruby tried again one last time.

"Fine, just message JNPR and tell them practice is every day after classes for two weeks. Does everybody understand?"

"Why didn't you say that to begin with?", questioned Weiss.

Ruby mumbled quietly, "I just wanted to sound cool…". Weiss couldn't help but think about how much of a dork Ruby was. It was okay though, it made her sound adorable.

Chuckling, Yang patted Ruby's head. "Man, Ozpin sure did the right thing making you team leader, Rubes.". Ruby tried to swat away Yang's hand as she started to mess up her hair. Blake gave a slight smile at the sight, and although Weiss rolled her eyes, she secretly found it kind of funny. Things were at least looking a little brighter for her today.

Yes, Team RWBY was together, and things were starting to get right in the world.

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><p><strong>Hooray, now we can start moving onto the even better stuff. I appreciate all the reviews you guys are giving me! Thanks, and be sure to send some more my way! And get your body ready for more of this story soon! This is The Draigg, signing off once again.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Is This Really A Thing?

**Yo, it's The Draigg again. Ready for another chapter? Of course you are! Before we start, I would like to say thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming, you guys. I would also like to say that I don't own RWBY, which belongs to Monty Oum, nor do I own any other media that may be mentioned (They belong to their respective creators). Now let's start reading!**

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><p>Tuesday was the big day. Well, one of them, at least. Team RWBY was finally going to get started on their musical. Walking through the entrance to the theater, Team JNPR was also ready to get started. Why wouldn't they be willing to help their friends? Noticing Velvet waving them towards the front row of seats, JNPR joined the others.<p>

Velvet was waiting expectantly with Blake, holding a stack of scripts. Yang was sitting in the front row brushing her hair. Ruby was trying to eat as many oatmeal cookies from the craft services table before starting, while Weiss scolded her for skipping dinner for desert while shoving food on her own plate. She was so preoccupied scolding Ruby that she didn't notice that her plate had been overflowing with food for several minutes by now. When she finished her lecture with, "You'll gain way too much weight.", she had a hard time picking up the plate covered in about five pounds of pinwheel sandwiches and chips. Velvet got everyone's attention by whistling. The others sat in the front row.

"Okay everybody, welcome!", greeted Velvet. With the help of Blake, she handed out the scripts for the stage show. She explained, "What you just got handed is the script for the show. Be sure to read it, and know it inside out. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask either me or Blake. Well, ask her script related questions. Ask me production related ones.".

Jaune immediately raised his hand. He asked, "Since I'm going to help with choreography, who will be doing the music?". Velvet replied, "I'll be playing the piano, so don't worry. Now, if you would be so kind, would you start to read the script?".

Weiss started to read through the script. Apparently, it was about a lady named Grey Ashe, who had moved to Vale to take over her distant father's flower shop, since he had come down with a terminal illness. Every day across the street, a young musician named Garnet Vine would play the guitar for whoever would bother to listen. Grey grew fascinated with Garnet, and fell in love from afar. However, she was too worried about the business to start a relationship. Eventually, with her dying father's blessing, they became a couple and lived happily ever after.

Weiss thought it was a decent story, if a little cliché. However, she felt that Blake was being a little uncreative, since it was blatant that the character names were just derived from the actresses playing the roles. At least it was far, far better than her fan fiction, 'Ninja Love: Hormone Gaijin' or whatever the hell it was called. From what she had read, it was nothing but lewd garbage, with a plot barely tied around graphic sex scenes. She desperately wanted to get that chapter with the katana and small bells out of her mind. Unfortunately, it led to some uncomfortable dreams about Ruby. Damn that cat!

By the time everyone skimmed over the script, about an hour had passed. They only had a few hours to use the theater before the janitor would kick them out, so they needed to start practicing. So, they started with the first scene.

* * *

><p>"Okay Weiss, I marked the area you need to walk to with tape. What I want you to do is to come in from the left and stop when you get to the tape. Alright?".<p>

Weiss did exactly that. "Good, good. Just like that.", said Jaune.

"Now, remember that you should look excited, and maybe a little anxious to be here. Just feel your character as you read the lines.", added Velvet.

That wasn't hard for Weiss to do. After all, she was feeling like that already. She couldn't believe that she actually going through with this play. Hiding her anxiety, she read off the script.

"Oh, what a place Vale is! This is different than Arcouze! But, I can't help but feel that all this hustle and bustle is familiar. I guess that's why Dad moved here. It's been so long since I've seen him! I hope he isn't too bad. I can't help but feel that his letter implied otherwise, though.". Weiss stopped. "How was that?", she asked.

Velvet clasped her hands as her glasses (They were fake. She thought they felt appropriate to wear.) reflected off of the stage lights. It made her look professional, if not a little scary. He cold, analytical gaze focused on Weiss. "What. Was. That?", she said with emphasis. "I didn't know I got a wooden dummy to be an actor in this stage show!".

Before Weiss could protest, she was cut off by Velvet. "I wasn't finished. You're too stiff. You need to FEEL the character. You need to BE Grey Ashe! I want to see a girl who's overwhelmed by Vale, not a poorly acting princess! I, no, WE won't stop until you get this right! NOW TRY AGAIN!".

Nobody really expected Velvet to act like this. It was almost as if she became a different person when it came to this play. Maybe it was because it was her last chance to salvage her career as Theater Club president. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her. She noticed, and shot a cold glare.

"What are you doing? Get back to work!", barked Velvet. Shocked, they did as she ordered. "Now, begin again.", she said to Weiss.

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><p>Weiss' performance improved a little before Velvet decided to move onto a different scene. It wasn't too bad. It was workable, overall. At least she didn't sound as stiff as before. Oh well, it could be worse. Much, much worse. She could be acting as badly as Ruby was.<p>

"Life is A loT like MusiC. NotEs coming TogeTher to make someTHING BEAUtiful. I tHINk We'd make A goOd soNg.", Ruby beamed as she finished her lines. She looked so proud of herself, somehow not noticing that most people were afraid that their ears might start bleeding.

Velvet by now was face palming so hard that she could feel her skull start to fracture. First of all, why did she insist on wearing that hat? She could've just used the flat cap they had, but NOOO, she really did feel that that purple trilby could be pulled off. There was no beating around the bush about it: The hat was pretty damn UGLY. Why did it have sequins and a feather? It hurt everyone's eyes to look at. Secondly, Ruby's acting was so stilted, that circus performers would pay a high price to use her sentences. If the government didn't try to make into a weapon, first. Velvet could use a drink or ten, even though she never touched the stuff. Maybe she could get Professor Port to share some of his imported Atlas whiskey. She knew he had a bottle of it in his desk. She could probably pay him off for it.

Once she uncovered her face, Velvet said, "I… Okay, I… You know what? How about we just focus on Weiss today? Just… go eat some cookies or something. Just please… PLEASE get off the stage before I have an aneurism.". Ruby nodded in confirmation and skipped over the food table, ready to demolish her third package of Little Red's Cheesecake Nibblers.

Was Ruby just messing with her? Was it all a joke? A horrible, horrible joke? Was her acting even a real thing?! Velvet couldn't even tell if this was reality by now. Wait, was SHE even real?! Was anything real?! AAHHHHRRGGHHHH! Velvet's head felt like it was going to explode.

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><p>Needless to say, it takes a very special type of bad acting to make the play director suffer an existential crisis. A nasty existential crisis, at that. After staring into a mirror in the ladies' bathroom and silently crying for a good twenty minutes, she walked back into the theater. Everyone was wrapped up in their work. Hoping to salvage this practice session and validate her own existence, she called out to Weiss to get on stage.<p>

"How well can you sing?", she asked.

"Well, I suppose. I'm familiar enough with it.", was Weiss' reply.

"Okay, just pick any song you want. Let's just see how it goes.". Velvet was at the absolute end of her rope.

Weiss cleared her throat. She had never intentionally sung around her friends. Even if they accidentally heard her, i.e. Ruby, they never brought it up much, if at all. It just seemed like a natural part of her. Still, she was afraid of what the others would think. Stirring up her courage, she opened her mouth to sing:

_"__You listen to my voice/ Listen to my heart/ Now I see it clearly_

_You listen to your voice/ Listen to your heart/ Do you even smile?"_

Nora and Ren stopped painting sets. Jaune and Pyrrha dropped the costumes they were working on. Everyone stopped to listen to Weiss.

_"__There is nothing you can't do/ Only you can do to make yourself happy_

_You listen to your voice/ Listen to your heart/ Make yourself live"_

_"__We are free/ Like water flows/ We are one/ As we feel the love"_

_"__How long will it take/ To find our way out?_

_But she never lost her way/ And made herself to home"_

_"__So we hold each other's hand/ As we walk along the way_

_No more fears and tears to fall/ We find our way to home..."_

Nora and Ren started to hold hands. Ruby, Blake, and Yang were entranced by the song. Pyrrha and Jaune were hugging each other and swaying to the music. Velvet sat in her chair, absolutely stunned. Tears started to flow down Ruby's face. "_So… beautiful… Weiss…_", she thought.

_"__We are free/ Like water flows_

_We are one/ As we feel the love"_

_"__How long will it take/ To find our way out?_

_But she never lost her way/ And made herself to home"_

_"__So we hold each other's hand/ As we walk along the way_

_No more fears and tears to fall/ We find our way to home..."_

_"__How long will it take/ To find our way out?_

_But she never lost her way/ And made herself to home"_

_"__So we hold each other's hand/ As we walk along the way_

_No more fears and tears to fall/ We find our way to home..."_

_"__You listen to my voice/ Listen to my heart_

_Now I see it clearly"_

_"__You listen to your voice/ Listen to your heart/ Do you even smile?"_

Weiss closed her eyes, finished with her song. It came from the heart, an area filled with love and sorrow, pain and hope. Whenever she sang, she always put her emotions behind it. It felt releasing, to finally be free of her fears and terrors for just a scant few minutes. If she sang for any reason, it would be only for that one.

Nearly everybody was crying. Ren cried the least, only a single tear dropping down his cheek. Nora and Yang were openly bawling at the beauty of Weiss' voice. Jaune and Pyrrha couldn't stop looking into each other's eyes. Ruby, Blake, and Velvet were furiously wiping away the oncoming stream of tears.

'O-okay *sniff*, I think we're g-good for today. *sniff*", Velvet finally spoke. Everyone silently nodded.

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><p>It was late when they stopped. Exiting the theater, Ruby spoke to Weiss: "Wow! I never knew you could do THAT with your voice!".<p>

"Yeah!" "No kidding", Yang and Blake said in agreement.

"It's… nothing really. Just something I picked up early in life.", said Weiss.

"How did you do that?", asked Ruby.

"I just sang from my heart."

"Wow. You're so beautiful when you sing, Weiss.".

Weiss briefly paused. Beautiful? Ruby thought she was beautiful? That's… nice. It felt so, so nice. It sent a small feeling of warmth to her chest. It felt really good. Weiss could get used to that feeling. The feeling stayed with her even as she readied to go to sleep. Weiss fell asleep with a faint smile. She would have good dreams that night.

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><p><strong>There's your first song! It's 'A Path" by Nami Miyahara (she owns it). It's from Casshern Sins. It's a pretty good show, so give it a shot! And keep on sending in those reviews! Thanks for reading so far! Get ready for more, same time and place! This is The Draigg, signing off for this chapter.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Weird Day

**Heyo, it's The Draigg again! Stuff is really starting to pick up now! Thanks for the reviews, you guys! I should reming you that Monty Oum owns RWBY, not me. Also, any other media mentioned belongs to their respective owners. Now let's do this!**

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><p>Practice sessions quickly became a part of the weekly routine. Costumes were put together, set were painted, and actors practiced their lines. However, practice doesn't always make perfect. Even though Weiss' acting was improving, Ruby's acting continued to be unbearable at best and comparable to crimes against humanity at worst.<p>

Velvet had no idea what to do. She wanted to focus on Weiss' but she was already quickly getting the hang of acting. She couldn't hold off on directing Ruby forever. If her acting kept on being terrible, her club career would be ruined. Accepting the inevitable, she loaded up a thermos full of 'tea' and prepared for the worst. Just to be safe, she drank a cup of the brew. Fire spread down her throat and into her stomach. Yeah, she could get through Friday evening.

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><p>Friday's practice session didn't go very well. Where Velvet got that booze, nobody had a clue. But when she staggered into the theater, it was pretty clear what was up. And her behavior was becoming intolerable.<p>

"Hhey hawt stchuff…", she leered at Jaune. She gestured him over with her finger.

"Uh, what is it Velvet? I'm kinda busy with the movement markers here.", he said.

"Jhust cuhm hereee.", she slurred.

Jaune really didn't want to deal with Velvet today. He never had much experience dealing with drunken people. If she was being hyperactive, it wouldn't be a problem. He lived with Nora and was friends with Ruby, after all. Sighing, he climbed off the stage. "What do you want now?", Jaune asked.

"Aii jhust whant to have shum funn~", she giggled. Was Velvet… hitting on him?

"Err… ummm… I should get back to work on the markers.", Jaune tried to leave, hoping his excuse would save him. It didn't. Velvet grabbed him by the arm.

"C'mon Jauney, dn't bhe like thattt…", pleaded Velvet. She nuzzled her face against his arm.

One of the many benefits of Pyrrha's athletic and huntress training was being able to easily sense when something was being hostile to her goals. So, when she saw Jaune trying to pry himself free from a very clingy Velvet, her thought process went something along the lines of: "_NO. No no no no no. HELL NO._". She immediately rushed over to his side.

Velvet was shoved off of Jaune by Pyrrha. "Just WHAT in the HELL are you doing?!". Velvet giggled and said:

"Pyrrhaaaa… you're naht too bad lokin' yershelf. Wahnt to go wiff me 'n Jauney boyh 'ere? Werr gonna half sum funnn~". She traced her finger along Pyrrha's arm muscles.

Pyrrha was absolutely flabbergasted at Velvet's actions. First hitting on Jaune, and now her? Clearly, the booze completely removed her inhibitions and restraint. Her anger flaring, she grabbed Velvet by the shoulders and started to shake her.

"If I EVER see you trying to take advantage of Jaune again, I'll personally make your spine into a necklace! Do you understand?!". Velvet apparently didn't. She must have thought that this was rough foreplay. She kept on flirting with her.

"Feishty! Cahm awn, yew can hold da cammerah.". This only served to make Pyrrha even angrier. Jaune could start to feel the barrier of her aura expanding. It was… different to have two women fight over him. On the one hand, it was awkward as all hell. On the other hand, it was kind of interesting to watch. Particularly in the 'What a horrible car accident, let's look at it' type of way. Apparently the others felt the same way, since they started to watch as soon as Pyrrha raised her voice.

Velvet continued to drunkenly giggle. She then had the audacity to try and shove her hand under Pyrrha's top. Shocked, Pyrrha shoved her away. This didn't stop Velvet's roaming hands in the slightest. She sauntered over to Jaune again. When her hand started to move towards his pants fly, Pyrrha's aura hardened around her fist. She thought of only one thing: "_ENEMY_.".

Velvet never felt Pyrrha's fist crash into the side of her face. She was knocked out almost instantly. Apparently Mr. Consciousness and Mr. Fist didn't like each other too well. Everybody was shocked, especially Pyrrha. Velvet's body fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Crouching down to Velvet's unconscious body, she wouldn't stop apologizing. "Oh God! I'm sorry, Velvet! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!". Seeing that everyone was staring at her, she paused. She then said, "Ahh… Sorry, but I think practice is done for today. Jaune.".

Following Pyrrha's motioning, he grabbed Velvet's legs. Grabbing her arms, Pyrrha carried Velvet out of the theater. Jaune looked worried. "She can just sleep this off, right?". "Uhh, right. Right.", assured an unsure Pyrrha. They dragged Velvet over to the club office and dumped her on the desk. Feeling that their job was done, they headed back to their room to go to bed. That incident killed any energy they had today.

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><p>After Jaune and Pyrrha dragged Velvet out of the theater, both teams were ready to leave. However, Weiss tapped Ruby on the shoulder before she could leave. Getting her attention, she said, "Think you can stay behind with me? I think we should practice some more.". Ruby nodded in agreement.<p>

"Hey, Weiss and I are going to practice some more. Don't wait up for us!", Ruby called out to Yang and Blake.

Yang eyed them suspiciously, but then agreed. "Fine. Just don't do anything you might regret later, Ruby.". With that, Weiss and Ruby were left alone in the theater.

"So, what do you want to do, Weiss?", Ruby asked.

"Well… how should I put this?". Weiss paused in thought, then said, "Your acting is bad. Really bad. It actually kind of hurts to watch.".

This dampened Ruby's mood. She pulled her hood over her head and lowered her gaze. "You think… I-it's bad?". It sounded like she was trying not to cry.

Weiss picked up on this. She would have to act quickly before she had to deal with Ruby's tears. And if she cried, she knew Yang would make sure she would never walk again. "Wait, wait. All I'm saying is that I could use some work. And I'll do my best to help you!".

Ruby sniffed and picked up her head. "R-really?".

"Absolutely. Now, follow me.".

Weiss and Ruby walked onto the stage. Ruby was guided over to the center marker put down by Jaune. Walking in front of her, Weiss said, "Okay, I want you to act out a few lines. I want to see how you do.".

"Oh yeAh! YoU're that girl from aCROSS tHe sTREEt! I'm Garnet Vine! nICe to Meet YoU!", she recited.

Weiss shook her head. She had her work cut out for her. She moved behind of Ruby and started to rub her shoulders. "You're too tense.", she noted. Ruby couldn't help but blush at the unexpected massage.

"W-w-well, w-what should I do?", she asked Weiss.

"Well, whenever I sing, I sing as myself. I don't try to act like someone else. I sing from my own heart, as my own person. Try acting like yourself, not like Garnet.". She advised. She stopped massaging Ruby's shoulders. "Now try again.", she ordered.

Trying to take Weiss' words to heart, Ruby tried again:

"Oh, yeah! You're that girl from across the street! I'm Garnet Vine! NiCE tO meeT yoU!".

"That was better,", noted Weiss, "but why did you mess up at the end?".

"I don't know! What did I do differently?!", exclaimed Ruby.

" Hmm… I think you reverted to being Garnet at the end there. Just be Ruby. Just be my partner. Remember, I won't be disappointed in you. Now please, try again.". Weiss squeezed Ruby's shoulders and stepped back.

Ruby breathed deeply and briefly closed her eyes. She could do this. It's for Weiss, after all. Opening her eyes, she acted her lines out once again:

"Oh, yeah! You're that girl from across the street! I'm Garnet Vine! Nice to meet you!".

She gasped. She did it! She thought of Weiss and did it! It was Weiss! She wrapped her in a hug and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Weiss' senses were overwhelmed at the brief kiss. Wow! Just… wow! That's what it felt like! She had gotten kissed by Ruby! Oh, wow! Weiss' face flushed into a deep scarlet. She felt a little more complete. She instantly hungered for more. What would it be like to kiss her lips? Her neck? Her… chest? Even lower? Suddenly, her dress felt a little too tight. She was having a hard time catching her breath. Weiss had to restrain herself with all of her might to not kiss Ruby back. Instead, she settled for returning Ruby's hug.

" D-dolt! Anyway, that's good Ruby! Very good! Just keep on doing that, and you'll be fine.", complimented Weiss. Ruby released Weiss from the hug.

"You really think so?", Ruby asked, with a gleam in her eyes.

"Of course! You're smarter that you look, Ruby.", answered Weiss.

"Yeah! …Hey! I dress pretty spry, I'll have you know!", protested Ruby.

"It was just a joke, Ruby. How did you do it, anyway? What let you be you?".

Ruby slightly blushed. "I… I thought about you. About us. About how you sang… and how it made me feel.", was Ruby's response.

Weiss couldn't help but feel a little honored. Her voice really helped her overcome her problem? "R-really?", she asked.

"Y-yeah. It always fells really nice and warm right here when you sing.". Ruby gestured to her heart. "I mean, even the snips I heard you sing before were nice. But, hearing the full thing, it sounded so beautiful.". Weiss' heart melted at Ruby's statement. She was beautiful to her. Oh god, it sounded so good.

"You're beautiful too…", Weiss mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?", asked Ruby.

Her emotions were nearly caught. Weiss thought quickly. "Uh, your acting. Your acting can be beautiful too.".

"Oh. Thanks, Weiss!", thanked Ruby.

Sighing with relaxation, Weiss said, "Well, we should still work on it. We should try to work together on our acting. Who knows? Maybe you could show even me something?".

"Yeah! Let's go it! We won't give up! Never!". Ruby dramatically pointed to the sky. "Our acting is the acting that will pierce the heavens!".

Weiss looked a little confused. Ruby held that pose for a good three minutes before dropping her arm. She grinned sheepishly at Weiss.

"Sorry… I just thought that sounded cool.". Weiss sighed and said, "You really shouldn't try. It just doesn't work. Come on, let's go.". Together, they got off the stage and headed to the theater door.

"Maybe it would be better if I got some cool shades!", said Ruby as she thought out loud.

"I wouldn't try it.", advised Weiss.

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><p>Sleep that night was different for all involved in the play. In Team JNPR's room, Ren and Nora were sleeping relatively normal. Well, normal to them. Nora somehow had shifted in her sleep so that her head and legs were hanging over the bed, all of the covers thrown off. Ren was completely under his covers, which somehow didn't have any creases or wrinkles. Jaune couldn't sleep, since Pyrrha had climbed over to his bed in her sleep and grabbed a handful of his pajama shirt. She was mumbling something about 'her man' in her sleep.<p>

Team RWBY fared a little better. Yang was lying face down on her pillow, her snores muffled. It was a learned habit. She learned it after the third time Weiss and Blake thought a Beowolf had snuck into their room. Blake always slept well, as long as she spent some private time with her copy of Ninjas of Love 2: Tengu Love Crafts in the bathroom before climbing into bed. Tonight was no different. Ruby fell asleep by replaying some of Weiss' singing in her mind. It made for a good lullaby.

Weiss, however, had an interesting dream tonight. No, it wasn't like the dreams she had whenever she accidentally saw Blake's fan fiction. Those ones were absurdly graphic and disturbing. This time, she was standing on a stage in a grand theater. Weiss was wearing a dress of pure silver. She was feeling nervous, and a little excited. A spotlight flashed on where she was standing. Across the theater, a spotlight also shone on a seat in the center of the otherwise empty room. Ruby sat on the chair, wearing a soft looking red dress.

Weiss started to sing, a love song flowing out of her mouth. She couldn't recognize the words. But they didn't really matter, as she knew what the words meant to both of them. The space between the seating and the stage disappeared. Ruby was sitting on stage, looking directly into Weiss' eyes. She continued to sing.

Suddenly, they were standing in a field of white roses, the unknown song still filling the air. Holding each other's hands, they danced merrily, the only thing that mattered was their touch. They fell in the grass, holding each other. Everything was right in the world. Their faces got closer and closer together. Weiss' and Ruby's lips embraced, their tongues being shared in their mouths. Ruby climbed on top of Weiss. She started to unzip her dress. Weiss wanted this more than anything. She was ready.

And then…

And then…

* * *

><p>Weiss' eyes opened. Groaning, she looked at the digital clock on her desk. It read 1:33. It was already Saturday. Sighing, she readied to go back to sleep. Why did she even wake up? Then, she became aware of a certain felling. A certain damp feeling. Feeling under the covers, Weiss' suspicions were confirmed. It was another one of THOSE dreams, all right. It was good thing nobody else was awake, or they might have seen Weiss' sheer embarrassment. She crept out of bed to change her nightgown. Stopping to look at Ruby's sleeping face, she couldn't help but think, "<em>Wow. She looks so gentle while sleeping. Like a porcelain doll.<em>". Slipping the soiled nightgown over her head, she quickly put on a fresh one and slid back under her bed covers. She closed her eyes.

Ruby is what Weiss was thinking about when she fell asleep again.

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><p><strong>And thus ends another chapter. The love is starting to get a little steamy! If this keeps up, I can power a steam ship! Stay tuned to this story, and keep on sending reviews my way! This is The Draigg, signing off again.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Play, Sets, Match Part 1

**The Draigg is here again! Before I get started, my loyal readers, I should point out a few things: First of all, Monty Oum owns RWBY, not I. Plus, I also don't own any other media mentioned, since they also belong to their creators. With that out of the way, let's do this thing! Chapter 8, launch!**

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><p>That Saturday morning wasn't very good to a certain person. Velvet had woken up sprawled over her desk in the club office. She had no idea how she had gotten there. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time she had fallen asleep in there. She had pulled off a few all night work sessions before. However, they usually didn't end up in a raging headache. What was the deal with that? Velvet tried to remember the haze that was Friday evening,<p>

Oh. OHHH. Velvet wished that she couldn't remember what had happened. Showing up drunk to practice was bad enough. But trying to rope two of your friends into a threesome? She wasn't sure if she could show her face around them again. She had really screwed the pooch on this one. It would have been Jaune and Pyrrha instead of the pooch if she had succeeded. It still would have been just as bad. Regardless, she was hoping not to see anyone today. Unfortunately, the universe had different ideas in store for her. It had a weird sense of humor like that.

There was a loud knock at the door. Great, that's JUST what her hangover needed. Having that pair of sensitive rabbit ears really made things worse. It really did suck to be a hung-over Faunus. Trying to hide her bloodshot eyes, she put on her pair of decorative glasses. "Come in.", she said in response to the knocking.

Ruby stepped into the office. "What happened to your eyes?", she asked. Velvet should have realized that her glasses had clear lenses. They didn't hide a thing. Brushing off the previous question, Ruby then said, "Never mind. Just come to the theater when you're ready, okay? We can start practice early today.". With that being said, she walked out and headed to the theater.

Velvet sighed and moved to follow Ruby. Trying to straighten her winkled shirt, she couldn't help but think that this was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>"For the last time Nora, we DON'T need a tree person.", Ren said evenly.<p>

"Come on! How could we NOT need one! This is a good costume!", pleaded Nora.

Ren tried not to shove his palm all the way through his head. Nora could be a lot like Ruby when it came to not letting things go. It was bad enough that Ruby insisted on keeping that abomination of a hat. But a tree with a hole cut out for someone's face? This was just getting absurd.

"Wait, why are we arguing about costumes? We work on sets.", said Ren as the thought clicked in his head.

Ignoring him, Nora shouted to get Pyrrha's attention. "Hey, Pyrrha! What do you think about the tree costume?".

"I think we should keep it.", replied Pyrrha.

"Pyrrha, you're just saying that to see Jaune half-naked again. Don't try to pretend that isn't it.". Ren rolled his eyes at his (correct) statement. If they rolled any harder, he would have discovered the secret to perpetual motion..

"What about me?", asked Jaune as he walked in with a bundle of marker tape.

"Nothing, honey.", was Pyrrha's quick reply. "Just go work on the markers, please?".

Jaune walked over to the stage and started to place markers. Before Nora could try to get his opinion on the tree, Ren stopped her.

"It's a no, Nora. Go put it back.", Ren said in the voice of a parent telling a child to put away candy. Giving a small huff in protest, Nora dragged the tree costume away with a frown. "_Why am I always the responsible one?_", Ren thought.

Oh well, it couldn't be helped, he decided. He guessed it was just the role the universe wanted him to play. Resigning himself to his fate, Ren started to think of ways to get rid of the tree. Maybe he could borrow some fire dust from Weiss and burn it. If he was lucky, he could burn Ruby's hat too. Fire was always a good solution to ugly problems. Hell, it worked for Yang, didn't it?

* * *

><p>"I'm just saying, it would look better with some damage. Pretty good, in fact.".<p>

Yang was with Weiss and Ruby backstage, helping them try on their costumes. Pyrrha was too busy repairing the ones Yang decided to put some holes in. Apparently, Ruby's 'starving musician' costume didn't look too realistic to her, in her opinion.

"Uhh, I don't think that's a good idea, sis.", said a nervous Ruby. She was afraid of being lit on fire.

"Be reasonable, Yang. Just because her character's poor, doesn't mean she should wear something filled with holes.", Weiss' voice drifted over the changing booth. To be honest, she was a little embarrassed to come out. It wasn't that it wasn't a good costume, far from it, in fact. It was that Weiss was worried that Yang and Ruby would strangle her in an Ursa hug after seeing how cute it looked. It was a simple cream colored turtleneck, with a light pink gardening apron and acid washed mom jeans. Weiss was bothered that small flowers were embroidered all over her apron. It seemed a little much, even if it was 'her' job.

Ruby, on the other hand, already endured her sister's hugs. To put it simply, she looked like an adorable ragamuffin. After forcing her to wear a flat cap instead of her other hat (Which many considered the scourge of humanity.), Ruby looked cute. She was wearing dark red overalls, a tan tee shirt, and a brown corduroy coat. Ruby thought the coat felt soft, so she really didn't want Yang to damage it. And hopefully not her too, in the process.

"I wouldn't damage it, if you'd just come out already. You're holding us up.", pleaded Yang.

"Now that I know that it fits, I don't need to wear it until we actually start the play. I'm fine.". Weiss thought that it was a good enough of an excuse, so she started to take off her shirt. Yang thought otherwise.

"If you don't come out in the ten seconds, I'll open that curtain. Now make a choice!", called out Yang.

"_Crap!_", thought Weiss. She tried to put her top back on, but the apron kept on getting in the way. Oh no!

"Your time's up!", Yang said as she yanked (More like Yanged!) back the curtain. Ruby couldn't stop staring at the sight. Weiss was tangled up in the apron over her head. Her bra was covered in little blue snowflakes. "_Of course I had to wear this one today._", Weiss thought, her face deep red with embarrassment. It took her a good two minutes to regain her composure. "Ahh… ackk… You DOLT!", she finally managed to yell at Yang.

Yang was too busy hunched over with laughter to listen to Weiss. Shoving her top back on, she stomped over to Yang, only to land ineffectual blows on her. Weiss continued to yell, "Pervert! Lewd! Dunce! Moron!". Her insults grew lamer as she continued to yell at Yang, who by now crawled over to a chair to support her laughter. "Meanie! Jerk-face! Dumb-head! Dummy! Dummy face! POOP! You're POOP!".

"_So… cute…_", Ruby thought. She wasn't just talking about the costume or her (Kinda childish) bra. For some reason, Weiss was really cute when she got flustered. It was like pissing off a hamster. No matter how flustered she got, it couldn't take over the fact she made the most adorable faces when embarrassed enough. If she were that type of person, Ruby would have tried to get her to make those faces all the time.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Ruby tried to hold back Weiss. It wasn't very hard, since Weiss was actually lighter than you'd think. Weiss continued to thrash in her grasp. Ruby tried to calm her down in same way she calmed down small animals: petting. She put her hand on Weiss' head and started to move it in small circles. Weiss immediately melted in her arms, her shouting falling away. It felt nice to pet her, Ruby thought. Her hair was really soft, no doubt because she spent a small fortune on shampoo and conditioner trying to take care of it. She didn't use as much chemicals as Yang, so it felt a little more natural too. It felt good.

"_Ahhh…_", thought Weiss, "_This feels nice._". Ruby's impromptu petting felt really relaxing. Weiss let out a small purr in enjoyment. Then, she suddenly realized what she did. Yang did too, and she laughed even harder. She was lying on the ground, banging her fist against the wood flooring. A few splinters started to fly up, she was hitting it so hard.

"It's not FUNNY!", Weiss shouted. She crossed her arms and tried to summon her best glare. If looks could kill, Weiss would be the equivalent of a dust enhanced thermonuclear bomb. Yang started to sit up.

Chuckling, she said, "I'm sorry, but SNOWFLAKES? It's priceless! The Ice Princess and snowflakes! It's SO good!". Yang started to stand up. All of the sudden, she heard a tear. Apparently, her shorts had caught on the wooden splinters of the floor she damaged. Looking down, she saw a chunk of her shorts on the ground. She felt a small breeze on her rear. "_Okay, NOW I know how Weiss feels._", thought Yang.

Now it was Weiss' and Ruby's turn to laugh. They supported each other as they nearly collapsed in laughter. Blushing, Yang lowered her belt and tried to cover up the rather large hole. "Okay guys, it's not really that funny…", she mumbled. Damn, that was her favorite pair shorts, too. If there was an upside to all of this, Blake might get a thrill out of it. That would at least be enough to cover her embarrassment to her. Yet again, most things were kinky to Blake. It was a good thing she covered up that part of her personality well. Well, for the most part. Her fan fiction was a dead giveaway if anyone read it.

Speaking of Blake, she stuck her head through the stage curtain. "What's with all the noise? We need to start some of your line readsssssssss—". Her mind cracked as she saw the huge hole in the back of Yang's shorts. Exhibitionism was one of her many kinks (Big surprise). Shaking her head free of some thoughts that the narrator can't describe because of the T rating, Blake refocused. "Come on, let's go.". Ruby and Weiss moved through the curtain. Blake tried to sneak a peek at Yang as she tried to put on some pants, but Weiss dragged her by the arm through the curtain.

* * *

><p>Velvet's day was going as well as her morning. With Nora keeping on poking Ren in the face, complaining about the tree, the set painting ground to a halt. Jaune was avoiding her and Pyrrha kept on growling when she laid eyes on her. And what was taking Weiss and Ruby so long? She sighed. One thing was certain in her mind: The universe was a straight up DICK. She just wanted to get today over with.<p>

To be honest, she was feeling nearly as bad as the time the curtains closed on her last play, 'Swords In Sheaths'. That safe sex PSA was an absolute nightmare. It was a good thing Jaune was working the back stage, otherwise he would have gotten the brunt of the damage. Velvet couldn't help but remember where it all went wrong.

* * *

><p>Velvet put on the helmet of her snake costume. Her ears poked through, giving the costume an odd look. Jaune was looking nervous, his nails digging into his clipboard. He said:<p>

"Uhh, Velvet? I don't think you should go out there. The audience is starting to turn, and it's starting to get a little scary.".

Velvet patted Jaune's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I can GUARANTEE that this song will turn the audience around. Sure, we had a rough start, but can't be all TOO bad! Now, please roll me out.".

She stepped into a cage on wheels. Sighing, Jaune gave the cage a light push. It rolled into the middle of the stage.

By now, the audience was pissed. This easily had to be the most patronizing and cringe worthy play anyone had ever seen. Reactions to all of this were all negative kinds of mixed. Blake felt insulted at the way the play handled romance. Yang couldn't believe that this was real. Weiss, for some reason, couldn't stop staring at the stage. Ruby had her hood pulled over her head, trying to block out the horror. Team CRDL made a small fortune selling fruit to throw at the stage. So, when the cage rolled up, the audience was at their breaking point.

"Sssssalutaions! I'm Mr. Sssssnake! And I really like to stay in my cage!", said Velvet with a fake lisp. She could hear a snake Faunus shout, "This is racist!". She tried to ignore the audience, hoping her song could improve things.

"_Oh, I really like staying in the cage/_

_Cage staying for most of my days."_

The audience started to boo at her. Velvet tried to keep on doing her routine. So, she danced while singing.

"_I'd much rather eat some rack of lamb/_

_Instead of shoving my face in some clams."_

Maybe doing the worm at that moment wasn't the best idea. Regardless, she kept on singing, avoiding the rain of thrown fruit.

"_Man, I really love my cage/_

_And I know for certain, it isn't a phase."_

When the apple hit her in the face, her microphone got knocked off. "Ow!", she yelped. Blinking away tears, she ran off stage. It was a good thing, too. Some students started to rip apart chairs and toss the pieces at the stage. Ultimately, just replacing the chairs cost roughly 30,000 lien. That was nearly the end of the Theater Club that night.

* * *

><p>Depressed at the memory, Velvet sighed. At least it couldn't get any worse. This play actually had some promise to be good. She noticed Ruby and Weiss walk into position. "<em>Well, let's do this.<em>", she thought.

* * *

><p><strong>And there goes Part One of this two part chapter! I hope you guys keep on sending in reviews, since I love hearing feedback. Stay tuned for the next part, coming soon! This is The Draigg, signing off.<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Play, Sets, Match Part 2

**Hiya, it's The Draigg here, with a new chapter for you guys! My lawyers advise me to say that I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum does. The same goes to any other media mentioned, as they belong to the people who made them too. Now, Part 2, roll out!**

* * *

><p>Ruby and Weiss stood on their place markers. Looking over their scripts, they prepared to do their line readings. Velvet, adjusting her fake glasses, leaned forward in her seat.<p>

"Okay,", she said, "The scene we're doing today is the scene where you guys meet for the first time. Now Weiss, remember to be a little nervous. Be anxious. And Ruby, I want you to be a little… bohemian, if that makes sense. Be loose. FEEL loose. Now… begin".

Weiss cleared her throat and started her lines.

* * *

><p>"H-hello there. I, uh…".<p>

"Oh, yeah! You're that girl from across the street! I'm Garnet Vine! Nice to meet you!", exclaimed Ruby.

"Right… across the street. I work across the street. At the florist place. Yeah.". Weiss gestured behind her. "I uh, see you here every day.".

"Yeah…", Ruby scratched the back of her head. "Playing the guitar is kinda a hobby of mine. Want to hear something?"

"Yeah, of course!", exclaimed Weiss. Naturally, Ruby had no idea to play the guitar, so Yang pressed play on a CD player. Ruby strummed her guitar to mimic playing. Once the short song was over, she set her guitar down.

"What do you think? You like it?", Ruby asked.

"I loved it. Want to… have something to drink over at my shop?", recited Weiss.

"Is that an invitation?", questioned Ruby, a small grin on her face.

"It could be what you want it to be. Do you want to, or not?", Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded, and picked up her guitar. Ruby walked over to where Weiss was, and then the both of them continued off near the end of the stage.

"And… end scene!", shouted Velvet.

* * *

><p>Velvet mulled over the performance in her mind. Ruby was acting much better than before, for some reason. It didn't really matter why, as long as her acting got results. Weiss was doing well, too. Her good performance was par for the course by now. Finally deciding on her criticism, she said:<p>

"Okay, you guys did well. The chemistry is really improving up there, and I want to see more of… whatever you guys did. Good work!". Velvet adjusted her glasses again. She should probably get the screws tightened.

Ruby smiled and patted Weiss on the shoulder. "I knew we could do it.", she whispered in Weiss' ear. Weiss grinned. Her advice was really paying off. Behind them, they heard the curtain rustle.

Yang stepped out behind the curtain. She had spent a while behind there looking for a replacement pair of pants after her shorts ripped. On the plus side, she found a good fitting pair, considering her size. On the downside, it didn't fit in the fashion sense. Yang was wearing some garishly stripped pantaloons. Everyone who saw her stifled a giggle. Yang heard them.

"Oh come on, it's not THAT bad. They're really roomy in the crotch!". Ruby didn't need to hear that. It's weird to hear anybody's sister talk about their crotch.

Hearing that, Ren asked, "Why does that even matter?". Yang shifted her eyes around nervously.

"My little lady needs to breathe.", was her eventual reply. Ruby started to look a little grossed out. Yang added, "And look! They match my top! Kind of.".

That wasn't exactly a lie. The orange stripes did match well with the yellow in her shirt. It was the purple ones that didn't. Even Ruby thought they were ugly. But couldn't help think of her hat, for some reason. Maybe they would make for a spry match if she wore both the hat and the pantaloons. Ruby filed that thought away for later.

"Yang, why are you wearing those and what happened to your shorts?", questioned Ren. He felt confident in his role as the straight man.

"Oh, well after I saw Weiss' snowflake bra, I kinda laughed so hard that I accidentally ripped the ass out of my other pants.", explained Yang.

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be ANYTHING else?", snarked Ren.

Yang didn't pick up on the sarcasm. "Yeah, I know, right? It was the damndest thing.", she said, placing her hands on her hips.

Weiss was angry that Yang told everyone about her bra with the… unique pattern. She started to move to rip an even bigger hole than before out of her crotch. Sensing her evil intent, Ruby grabbed her arm.

"Don't. I think she's had enough as is.". Ruby had a point, realized Weiss. Wearing pantaloons like that should be considered capital punishment in all of the kingdoms. Plus, if Ruby saw her sister's private bits, she would probably try to stop her from pouring bleach in her eyes. Considering what Blake was into, based on her writings, it probably looked like mincemeat by now. Sighing, Weiss relented. It would be the best for everyone involved if she didn't.

* * *

><p>Moving on from that little scene, Velvet turned heer attention to the set team. She asked, "Ren, how are the sets coming along? None are completed yet, are they?".<p>

"Some would be finished, if Nora stopped telling me about her tree costume.", Ren flatly stated. Nora stuck out her tongue at him.

"Still?!", came an exasperated Velvet. "It's been a week! At least ONE should be done!".

"Well, if Ren wasn't being a MEANIE then I could stand to help him", huffed an upset Nora.

Seeing that Ren couldn't play problem solver this time around, Jaune decided to step in.

"Okay, ah, I can see both of you are upset about this.". There was an awkward pause. "Wanna talk about it?", continued Jaune.

"We ARE talking about it", said Ren in a flat tone.

"Well yeah… I know… but we should REALLY talk about it", said Jaune.

"What do you mean?", asked Velvet.

"I'm saying we should compromise.", explained Jaune. Everybody except Ren and Nora nodded in agreement. "What could that accomplish?", asked a skeptical Ren.

"Well, we could think of something!", beamed Jaune. It felt good to exercise his role as Team Leader. "Ren! You don't like the costume, right?"

'Hate it.", said Ren.

Jaune leveled a finger at Nora. "And Nora! You want to use it, right?".

"Of course!", she said.

Jaune put his fingers to his temples. He was hoping it made him look like he was thinking of all possibilities. In reality, it just looked stupid. "I know!", he exclaimed as he snapped his fingers, "Nora can wear the costume!".

"But we're still using it.", droned Ren.

"Yes, BUT it will only be when we do the final bow with everybody. That way, it gets seen, but not during the actual play! Does it sound good?".

Cogs were spinning in Ren's head, a hamster in a wheel in Nora's. Both knew Jaune's idea made sense, even if they couldn't get exactly what they wanted. Well, it was better than nothing, both concluded. They sighed simultaneously.

"Fine.", agreed Ren.

"Nora's fine with that", was Nora's conclusion.

Jaune beamed with a large grin. He felt great taking the lead. Pyrrha patted him on the shoulder. "Good job.", she complimented. She had always felt that he should take the lead, to dominate others with his mind. Maybe even with her. That was a nice thought.

Velvet face-palmed for roughly the three hundredth time this week. It was weird working with these people. Really weird. However, it was certainly better than before. At least she had a chance of reviving her career as Club President with this musical. Plus, these were her friends. If this was with others, this would be unbearable. Standing up, she announced:

"Okay everyone, I think we can pack up for today. I have dinner for everyone back at the office. Let's go!". Given that everyone likes the idea of free food, they followed her like ducklings out of the theater.

* * *

><p>While everyone was trying to eat, Velvet realized that she didn't think this through. Nine people cramped into a glorified closet was both hot and uncomfortable. Blake was sat on top of the filing cabinet. Ren and Nora sat on top of the desk. That meant that Velvet's plate kept on being kicked by the wildly gesturing Nora, explaining the plot of her favorite show. Jaune looked in pain with Pyrrha sitting in his lap. She didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying it a little too much. Yang tried to sit down, but her pantaloons prevented her from moving too well. So, she was forced to stand. Weiss and Ruby were huddled together in the corner. Ruby wasn't too happy at the thought of people stepping on her cloak. Having dry cleaning delivered out here was expensive, after all. Nora being loud was just the icing on the cake.<p>

"So then, she got her head bit off by the witch! And everyone was sad and it was dramatic and stuff!". Well, there went everyone's appetite. Not that the food was very good, anyway. When Velvet promised food, they thought it would something freshly brought over from the cafeteria. What Velvet failed to mentioned was that it was food that she bought at the snack bar. Healthy food, at that. While eating healthy wasn't bad, Beacon's healthy food was. Having gotten the best Nutritionists to make the healthiest, most energy filling food possible, some could say that they succeeded a bit too well. A regular healthy snack was a bag of raw grains and cranberries. Regular meals consisted of a whole grain cauliflower sandwich, with a pack of shredded radish and a garnish of kale. Needless to say, it was the least requested food item at the snack bar. Luckily for everyone, Ruby had brought her emergency bag of Piper's Pie Bites, which she shared with everyone (At Weiss' urging).

Just as Nora was about to explain how the witch was killed, Velvet interrupted her. "I just want to say that I'm proud of everyone today. You guys did pretty well. But remember, we've only got one week left starting tomorrow. I say that we give it our best!". The others nodded in agreement. "_I need to say something cool to finish this._", thought Velvet. She topped it off with, "Are you bad enough dudes to finish this play? Hell yeah!".

An uncomfortable silence filled the office. Ruby, apparently being the only person who went along with Velvet's declaration, she stood up and thrust her fist in the air. "Yeah! Banzai! Wooooo!". The silence grew even worse. Lowering her arm, she asked, "Are we NOT doing that?".

Weiss closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "No, Ruby. We're not.". Ruby looked a little embarrassed. She slumped against the wall. "Oh", was all she had to say.

* * *

><p>That night went pretty normal. Everyone was performing their routines to the letter. Blake had spent her private time with her books, Yang thoroughly messed up her sheets before climbing in bed, Weiss tied her hair back, and Ruby checked that the ropes holding up her bed were going to stay tight through the night. Ruby could never live down the one time she forgot and Weiss couldn't climb out in the morning.<p>

As Blake and Yang drifted off the land of sleep, Ruby couldn't help but stay awake. She could hardly believe that her dream was becoming a reality. "Hey, Weiss.", she whispered.

"What is it Ruby, can't you see I'm trying to sleep?", came Weiss' grumpy whisper.

"I can't sleep. I'm just too excited."

"Oh really now? That's nice, now go to sleep.", whispered Weiss.

Ruby apparently didn't hear that, as she continued to ramble on. "I mean, I never thought that I would ever be able to do this. Don't you think it's cool? I think it's cool. It really is. It's as cool as iccceeeeee.". She hissed out the last word, trying to sound sleek.

Sighing, Weiss got out of bed and pick Ruby out of her bunk. She tried to resist squawking.

"What are you doing?", Ruby couldn't help but ask.

"Maybe you'll sleep better if you're next to someone. It'll at least make you quieter.", explained Weiss.

Settling Ruby in her bed, Weiss laid next to her. "Now be a good girl and go to sleep.".

Ruby cuddled up to Weiss. In the dead of night, nobody could see Weiss' blush. Weiss was certain she could see down Ruby's tank top.

Settling in, Ruby breathed out, "Thanks, Weiss.". Her breathing started to become more relaxed.

"D-dolt. Just sleep.", Weiss managed to whisper out. Surprisingly, Ruby fell asleep quickly after Weiss moved her. Both fell really warm. Ruby felt warm when she cuddled with Weiss, and Weiss when Ruby shifted her knee between her legs in her sleep. Weiss felt really sensitive right about now.

She tried to move a bit away. In response to her movement, Ruby shifted her knee deeper in. A shiver of pleasure went up Weiss' spine. Great, how was she supposed to sleep when she was bothered like this? She silently prayed to any god that listened that she wouldn't have another of THOSE dreams with Ruby next to her. Trying to catch some shut eye, Weiss cleared her mind.

That day wasn't bad, not bad at all.

* * *

><p><strong>And there you have it! Part Two is over! Thanks for reading so far, and keep any reviews floating in! This is The Draigg, signing off on this chapter.<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Of Dying And Fan Fiction

**Salvete, it's The Draigg again! I'm serving you a new chapter, fresh off of the proverbial griddle. As you all know, Monty Oum owns RWBY, and I don't own any other media mentioned. Now devour this fresh chapter with your eyes!**

* * *

><p>Weiss' eyes opened around four o'clock. For some reason, she had slept better than ever before. Then she remembered that Ruby shared her bed that night. Worried, she looked under the covers to see if anything unfortunate happened during the night. Seeing that nothing was damp, she let out a breath of relief. Wondering if she should start her day early, she vetoed that idea. Ruby made too good of a sleeping partner. Weiss closed her eyes again. She could afford to sleep in for a few extra hours.<p>

* * *

><p>Yang awoke with a yawn around eight o'clock. Swinging her body out of the bed, she slunk over to the bathroom door, ready to take a nice, warm shower. On days like this, she always had a hard time staying awake even in the shower. It wasn't her fault. That water just felt too nice. She stripped out of her night clothes before going in the bathroom.<p>

Yang turned on the shower and climbed in. Letting the water run over her body, Yang reflected over the past week. Truth to be told, she was enjoying her work on the musical. It was nice to see her friends more outside of class and meal breaks. Plus, having 'edited' (i.e. barely glanced over once) Blake's script, she was interested on how the others would do, given the material.

Finishing her shower and spending roughly twenty minutes on her hair, Yang walked back into the room and started to put on her clothes. She glanced over to the others. Man, they were really quiet when they slept. Blake had always slept like a cat, all curled up in on herself. Weiss and Ruby were holding onto each other tightly, their faces nearly touching. Wait, WHAT?!

OH HELL NO!

* * *

><p>Weiss was yanked out of her peaceful sleep when she felt a powerful aura flare over her. Turning over and opening her eyes, she was greeted with a horrible sight indeed. Yang was staring down at her, an evil grin plastered over her face, her eyes twitching madly. Weiss could feel the heat radiating off of her aura. Oh SHIT. "<em>Well, this is it, my death. Man, I'll miss living. Dying in the arms of Ruby isn't a bad way to go.<em>", she thought. Weiss fully expected to die then and there. Luckily, she was saved by a half asleep Ruby.

"Weiss… stop moving around so much. Go back to sleep…", she mumbled. That made Yang reconsider ripping Weiss' windpipe out of her mouth. However, she was still too furious not to give up so easily.

Seeing murder in Yang's eyes, Weiss furiously shook Ruby awake. "Aww… Weiss", groaned Ruby.

"Ruby, please! For the love of god, wake up!", she loudly whispered, her voice full of terror.

Ruby yawned and opened her eyes. "What is it? I was having a nice—". Ruby stopped in her tracks when she saw her sister's insane expression.

"No, wait Yang! It can't look that bad!", yelped Weiss nervously.

To Yang, it looked as bad as it could get. Ruby's tank top had ridden up her stomach, exposing half of her torso. Weiss' top buttons on her nightgown came undone in her sleep. Finally, it was apparent that Ruby was spooning Weiss. The sight was enough to drive Yang insane with anger.

"Arrghh, be quiet. I'm trying to sleep.", came Blake's voice from underneath several layers of covers. Ruby had started to whimper in terror, and Weiss began to hyperventilate. Groaning, Blake got out of bed and looked at the source of the commotion.

Seeing a half dressed Yang towering over a spooning Weiss and Ruby, she blinked and rubbed her eyes vigorously. The sight hadn't changed when Blake's vision refocused. "Umm… did I miss something here?", she managed to ask.

"Yeah, I caught Weiss tryin' to put the moves on my SISTER!". Yang punctuated her sentence with a punch to the wall. The plaster easily cracked under her fist. Ruby buried her face in Weiss' arm, trying to hide from impending death.

"I swear, I wasn't! I didn't do that! Oh geez, oh god, please don't kill me!", Weiss pleaded between shallow breaths.

"Yang, don't do anything stupid now…", cautioned Blake, slowly moving towards her.

"Do anything!? Weiss' is the one DOING Ruby right there, damn it!", shouted Yang. She removed her fist from the wall. If one looked closely, they would see exposed wiring and piping.

"AARRRGGHHHH! You're DEAD!", bellowed Yang as she readied a punch. It was at this point that Blake hit a specific point on her upper back. Yang stopped mid swing, her eyes blank. Suddenly, she slumped over, unconscious.

"GAHH! What did you do?!", yelled Ruby in sheer terror.

Blake crouched over to the knocked out form of Yang. Picking her up, she hefted her back into her bunk. "Oh, I just knocked her out. She'll wake up in…". Blake paused to count something on her fingers. "About ten hours. I think you ought to get ready for today's practice.". Blake then climbed back into her bed covers, ready to go back to sleep.

Weiss and Ruby were stunned. "Where did you learn to do that?", squeaked out Weiss.

Blake winked at them. "Sometimes it's useful to have a ninja on your team. Now, don't wake me for anything. I'm going to take the day off.". Blake settled under her blanket and fell silent.

Speechless, Ruby and Weiss climbed out of bed to get ready for the day. Well, as if it could get worse for anyone else that day. Right?

Right?

* * *

><p>On this Sunday, practice started the same time as yesterday. After eating a healthy (read: bland) breakfast, Teams RWBY (minus the B and Y) and JNPR plus Velvet shuffled into the theater, ready to start working.<p>

Today, they were planning on working on the scenes with Weiss' character's dying father. Considering that Jaune's work was mostly backstage, and the rest were women, Ren got 'volunteered' into playing the father.

Ren was lying on the floor, as they hadn't finished making the prop bed yet. Nora had experience with hammers, so she was fine building it by herself. Weiss was crouching next to him, with fake tears streaking her face. He was trying his best to sound generally ill and dying.

"Oh, my precious daughter, I'm so glad that you've arrived. Come closer. Let me see how you've grown.", Ren delivered in a flat voice. Clearly, acting wasn't one of his strong suits.

Velvet decided to intervene there. "Cut, cut! Ren, what the hell are you doing? You're supposed to be dying! If you were any more wooden, I could make you into a fence!".

Ren sat up and simply shrugged at Velvet's criticism. "I'm doing what I can", he evenly said.

Velvet rubbed her forehead. They only had a week left. How could they get Ren's acting up to speed in that time? She wracked her brain for solutions. "Does anyone have any ideas on how to help Ren?", she asked to anyone who heard her.

Weiss spoke up. "I think I have something that could help. Hold on". She got up and walked over to her purse. Digging around, she eventually pulled out her scroll. She opened up the internet browser and typed a few things in.

"This ought to do it. Ren, could you please take this backstage and read it?", asked Weiss as she handed the scroll to Ren. He stood up and took the scroll. Nodding, Ren then walked behind the thick curtain to the backstage.

"I'd wait around a half hour, give or take.". With that, Weiss walked over to the food table to scold Ruby about her choice in snacks.

At a half hour on the dot, Ren staggered through the curtain back on stage. All of the color in his face had been drained. Weiss' scroll dropped from his limp grasp. Looking haggard, he slumped down to the ground to lie there. Velvet couldn't help but be impressed at his acting.

"Wow, he's really in character now! What did you do, Weiss?", complimented Velvet.

"I just showed him a chapter of Blake's fan fiction.", she explained.

* * *

><p>To properly grasp the content of Blake's fan fiction, 'Shinobi Romance: Passion Champloo', one only needs to look at a small excerpt. Here is the best example possible, where the least amount of things needed to be censored:<p>

* * *

><p>Wiping the remaining fluids and undigested remains of food from her mouth, the Solar Samurai turned over to the prone form of the Black Shinobi. Both ladies quivered in pleasure, the raging inferno of their passion burning brightly.<p>

"I'm glad you are now relieved, Shinobi-sama", moaned the Solar Samurai.

"And now you know relief of a different kind, Solar-san.", breathed the Shinobi.

They embraced lovingly, quivering from the amount of love that was shared. Their romance burned like a raging inferno. They kissed passionately, the Shinobi not caring that she tasted the remains of last night's curry rice. The kiss ignited a spark in their nether regions, a passionate inferno building up below. The warrior princesses quivered in delight.

The Solar Samurai splayed out herself on her bedroll for the Black Shinobi, ready to be taken again. Her passion was burning as brightly as their camp fire had last night. She could feel an inferno building up inside her heart and even further below.

However, the Shinobi had different plans. She gathered a few flowers from the clearing.

"I know I am betraying my clan by being with you.", the mysterious, beautiful, passionate Shinobi said. "But that makes my bosom even hotter.".

She held out the flowers for her lover to see.

"Come, claim this token I have gathered for you.", her voice quivering in anticipation.

With that, the Shinobi, with ever graceful feline like movements, proceeded to shove the flowers—

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><p>In the interest of keeping this a T rated story, the example will be stopped here. The reader should get the idea by now, anyway. Let's continue with the musical plot.<p>

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><p>To Weiss' credit, Ren looked genuinely ill. By now, he was writhing on the floor in horror.<p>

"I've looked into the void. It STARED at me. I BLINKED.", Ren kept on moaning while clutching his head. Also to Weiss' credit, Ren now sounded like he genuinely want to die as well. It was a rather clever plan on her part.

Harnessing this energy, Velvet decided to retry the scene. "Okay Ren, let's take it from the top!", she called out to him. His unblinking eyes shifted over to her. Not knowing what to do with his life anymore, he agreed.

"Oh, my precious daughter *moan*, I'm so glad that you've *wheeze* arrived. Come closer. Let me *groan* see how you've grown.", he delivered. It sounded fantastic. It also sounded like Ren was ready to vomit. Thinking quickly, Weiss grabbed a bucket from backstage and brought it next to Ren.

He proceeded to vacate his stomach of everything he had eaten the past day. Weiss looked away, knowing that familiar feeling. She knew he would be fine after a few hours, after he repressed most of those memories. Velvet, pleased with the results, clasped her hands in delight. Weiss' little plan had turned out for the best after all.

Excellent. Fantastic. Great.

It was all in a day's work.

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><p><strong>Well, there you go. You got two fanfics for the price of one! Remember to tell me what you think of the story so far in the reviews! Get ready for more down the line! This is The Draigg, signing off for this section.<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Love's Reprise

**Aloha, it's The Draigg here again. Feeling up for some more romantic drama? Of course you are! I just want to say that RWBY is owned by Monty Oum, and that any media I mention belongs to their respective creators. Let's start this shindig!**

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><p>After traumatizing Ren with Blake's fan fiction to get him to act better, the rest of Sunday went without incident. Nora had managed to build the bed prop by herself, only after wasting about two hundred nails. Ren spent the rest of that day huddled in the corner with a shock blanket, trying to drink some of Jaune's calming tea. He would have gotten a mouthful, if his hands weren't shaking so much. The bullets were taken out of his guns for everyone's safety.<p>

Ruby and Weiss had successfully acted their way through a good amount of their scenes, with only one major one left to do. It was the scene where the two romantic leads professed their love with the help of a song and kissed. Naturally, both of them were rather nervous. It was a good thing Yang was unconscious, otherwise she would have taken steps to ensure tomorrow's practice would never happen.

"Okay, that's a wrap for today!", announced Velvet. While Team JNPR hauled Ren's uncooperative body out of the theater, Velvet pulled Ruby and Weiss aside. She wanted to talk to them about tomorrow.

"Okay, next practice is the big scene. I know you may feel a bit nervous, but I want you guys to give your all, okay? Okay.". Velvet patted the two on the shoulders. "I know you can do it. No pressure!". That being said, she walked away, leaving our two leads looking at each other anxiously.

"Er… You ready? F-for tomorrow, I mean.", stuttered Ruby nervously.

"Of c-course I am, you dolt!", exclaimed Weiss, trying to hide her anxiety.

There was a pregnant pause. Both didn't want to move.

"We should go.", Weiss said finally.

"Y-yeah.", Ruby agreed, playing with her fingers.

They left the theater, unsure what to make of tomorrow.

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><p>The sun that Remnant orbited around shone brightly on Monday. Like a certain pasta loving cartoon cat, nobody liked Mondays. It was a dreaded day for most. For the student's it was because they had homework due, and for the teachers, it was because they didn't want to deal with a bunch of grumpy, hormone filled teens with a penchant for destruction. It was bad enough that one student accidentally blew up the botanical gardens while trying to run to Dust Studies 180 on a Monday two months ago. The staff didn't want a repeat of that day.<p>

Team RWBY wasn't handling Monday well. Blake was keeping Yang distracted throughout the day in order for her not to kill Weiss. She knew they couldn't go to practice today. Ruby had bit her nails down to the roots and started on her cuticles, anxious about today's practice. Weiss was having a hard time paying attention in her classes, trying not to think about how soft Ruby's lips might feel against hers. Overall, today wasn't a day any of them were looking forward to.

Velvet, on the other hand, was ecstatic. The musical group was blazing through preparations, and she felt that they could be ready for next Monday's premier. All they had to do is perfect the big kiss scene, and then they could cruise through the entire week. She held her head high as she walked into the theater, feeling proud for her friends.

"Okay everyone!", she announced as she settled in her director's chair. "If this practice goes well, we can call it quits early today!". She pulled her professional glasses out of her jacket pocket and put them on. "I think we can.", she said while grinning.

If Velvet was feeling like a million lien, then Ruby and Weiss felt like lint at the bottom of a wallet. She was way too nervous to think about anything resembling acting. "_Remember what Weiss said. Just be yourself._", she kept on repeating in her mind. Thinking about Weiss made her feel a little better. She tried to steady her breathing. She could do this.

Weiss was massaging her throat, getting ready to sing. She was also feeling nervous, but for different reasons. "_Ruby's really going to kiss me._", she thought. She had given Ruby the advice to be like herself on stage, so she hoped that it was her that gave a kiss, not Garnet Vine. If it was just her character, then Weiss would be crushed. Her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. That kiss wouldn't mean anything.

"And… action!", shouted Velvet.

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><p>Weiss (as Grey) was sitting in a chair, looking depressed. Ruby (as Garnet) mimed opening a door and walked over to Weiss, her eyes full of concern.<p>

"G-Grey? Are you alright? I'm… sorry if you weren't ready. I just… thought that you were that way and I… I just want to say sorry. If you don't want to see me again, I-I'm fine with t-that.", recited Ruby. She turned to leave, but was stopped by Weiss starting to sing.

_"__Did I drive you away?/I know what you'll say,_

_You say, "Oh, sing one we know"/But I promise you this,_

_I'll always look out for you,/That's what I'll do."_

_"__I say oh"/I say oh."_

Weiss stood up to face Ruby, her melancholy radiating off of her stage presence.

_"__My heart is yours,/It's you that I hold on to,_

_That's what I do,/And I know I was wrong,_

_But I won't let you down,/(Oh yeah, yeah, yes I will)"_

Weiss felt that this song was easy to sing. It resonated with her, as if it spoke what her heart was thinking.

_"__I say oh,/I cry oh."_

_"__And I saw sparks,/Yeah I saw sparks,_

_And I saw sparks,/Yeah I saw sparks,_

_Sing it out."_

_"__La, la, la, la, oh/La, la, la, la, oh/La, la, la, la, oh"_

Weiss finished the song, her face dropping from Ruby's gaze. Her real tears were threatening to cover the fake ones. Overwhelmed with emotion, Ruby pulled Weiss into a bear hug.

"You were afraid?", Ruby choked out.

"I never wanted to let you or anybody down. That's why I didn't want to get closer to you. I.. I don't want to hurt anyone.", said Weiss, finding truth in her lines.

Ruby let out a tear lined chuckle. "You could never hurt me. You're my little sunflower, remember?"

"I-I love you, Garnet.", Weiss admitted.

"I love you too, Grey.", said Ruby while smiling.

Now was the time for the payoff. They needed to kiss. Ruby dipped Weiss down in her grasp, and planted a long, soft kiss on Weiss' soft lips. Weiss unconsciously held Ruby tighter, her emotions flaring in her embrace. "_I love you… Ruby._", Weiss repeated in her mind. Her kiss felt so right. She didn't need anything else anymore. Ruby was enough.

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><p>"And… cut!", called Velvet. "Wow! That was incredible! That was incredible acting from the two of you!".<p>

Letting Weiss go, Ruby said, "Yeah, I'm proud of my acting talent. I could really feel what my character was doing.", while rubbing the back of her neck.

Weiss froze. Acting? Character? That wasn't Ruby kissing her! It was GARNET! She felt so betrayed. What happened to acting as yourself? That kiss didn't mean a thing if it wasn't Ruby! A low sob escaped her throat.

Everyone shifted their focus to Weiss. Why was she crying? What was wrong? Ruby tried to reach out to Weiss with her hand. "Weiss? Are you o–okay?", asked. Weiss slapped away her hand. Tears now freely falling from her face, she ran off stage and out the theater door. Everyone was confused and shocked. What was going on?

Concerned, Ruby ran after her shortly after Weiss left.

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><p>Weiss ran into Beacon's gardens. Finally feeling tired, she stopped at a bench near the remaining white rose bushes. She looked at the flowers with a feeling of profound sadness. They used to represent a chance at a real love. Now, all she could see in them was something that could never be.<p>

With sobs wracking her chest, she lied down. It wasn't fair! Why did she have to feel this way? All she wanted was someone to hold her, and to tell her everything was good in the world. Mom and Dad never cared. Ruby was the only one who did. Maybe if she hated her like she did her parents, maybe this pain would go away.

It wasn't fair.

It isn't FAIR!

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><p>Ruby ran to the one place that Weiss liked in Beacon: the gardens. She liked to study there after class, saying that the flowers reminded her of the gardens back at her home. Looking around frantically, Ruby spotted Weiss lying down on one of the benches, staring at a rose bush. Relieved that she found her, she walked to the bench.<p>

"Room for one more?", asked Ruby, trying to hide her concern. Weiss sat up at the sound of her voice. Tears were streaking her face.

"O-oh, w-w-what do Y-YOU want?", Weiss spat between sobs. It really hurt Ruby to see Weiss like this. She always guessed that she was hiding her emotions, but she never knew Weiss could break down like this.

"I want to know what's up. What's the matter?", she said, sitting next to Weiss. She tried to put her arm around her, but it was shrugged off. Now Ruby was really worried.

"You! IT's always been you! Every day, I've had to deal with you!", shouted Weiss.

"I-I'm sorry if I'm not smart enough or something…", Ruby tried apologizing.

"No! It's not that! Why do I have to deal with all these feelings about you?!", continued Weiss. Ruby looked shocked. Feelings? That's what this was about? She didn't know what to say. Weiss continued to rant:

"I love you! Ever since we became a team, I always loved you! Do you know how painful it is, to see the person you love but could never have?!". Her tears poured out even harder. "I hate this feeling! It hurts! Oh god, it hurts so much! Maybe if you hate me like my parents, I can hate you back! Then I won't be hurt anymore! Please!'.

Weiss grabbed Ruby by the shoulders. "HATE ME!".

Ruby blinked away tears. She… loved her? How could she stand to hate someone who loved her? It made no sense, damn it!

"HURT ME!", Weiss yelled as her body shook with sobs. Ruby couldn't bring herself to do anything. She was still too shocked at her confession. Tears started to fall down her cheeks at seeing Weiss like this.

"KILL ME!", Weiss finally pleaded. Letting Ruby go, she curled into a ball on the bench. She cried so much that it hurt to breathe. That was the breaking point. Ruby would never do anything like that.

She couldn't help but think of all the times Weiss was there with her. Studying, fighting, and just joking around. She had the most beautiful voice she had ever heard. When she heard her sing up on the stage, she couldn't help but feel warmth in her heart. She was like a rare, desirable gem, so delicate that it could be broken at the slightest touch. Weiss was now a constant source of beauty in her life, a fixture never to be removed. Maybe… she loved her too? Finally, wiping away her tears, Ruby thought of something to say to Weiss.

Hugging her crying body, Ruby whispered in to Weiss' ear: "No.". She held her in her arms until her crying wore down. She sat there, looking at the white rose bushes until Weiss' body stopped shaking.

"T-then p-pl-please don't leave m-me-e.", Weiss finally managed to choke out. Ruby wiped away some stray tears with the edge of her cloak.

"I would never dream of it.", she whispered to her. Weiss smiled a weak smile. She felt so very, very, tired. It was like living in a dream. Closing her eyes, she felt her energy leave her. So… tired… Weiss fell asleep, her secrets finally being revealed to the world.

Noticing that Weiss' breathing had fallen into a rhythm, Ruby wrapped her cloak around her. Yes, maybe she did love Weiss. She would never do anything to hurt her. It too painful to just watch her cry like that. That wasn't the Weiss she knew. The one she knew in her heart was smart, brave, and dependable. She had a voice that angels would be envious for, and had hair that shone like fresh snow. She always looked out for her whenever she needed help, and would do everything in her power to have her succeed.

Yeah, Ruby really DID love Weiss.

Picking Weiss up from the bench, Ruby made her way back to the dormitories. She didn't care what anyone else thought. It didn't matter what Yang might think, or what others might whisper behind her back. Weiss and Ruby were one, and they could never be brought apart. The heart is a strong item like that.

It has been said even since the ancient times, ever since man rose from dust, regardless of whatever kingdoms rose of fell, that love would always remain constant. Ruby and Weiss now fully understood what that meant. It didn't mean just being two separate people. It meant balance.

In some of the earliest found writings, the words 'love' and 'balance' were written with similar characters. It meant sharing each other, both balancing and filling each other out. Push and pull. Sun and Moon. Remnant and stars. But besides all of that, love simply IS.

And, most importantly, Ruby and Weiss feel it for each other.

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><p><strong>What a romantic chapter. I should say that the song was 'Sparks', which is performed and owned by Coldplay. Remember, you can tell me what you think so far in the reviews. This is The Draigg, signing off for now!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Dreams

**Hola, it's The Draigg here, brining you some more of this story that you crave. Before reading, you should know that I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum does. Plus, any other mentioned media belongs to their respective creators. RWBY fanfic! Ready? GO!**

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><p>Ever since Blake decided to distract Yang from Weiss and her sister's romance, she put in every ounce of energy she had. Blake and Yang played every card game they knew, watched every movie they had (which wasn't many), and experimented with every 'trick' Blake knew. By now, both were a sweaty, sloppily dressed mess. Both of them knew for certain they would never use lightning dust in that way again. It was too much, too quickly.<p>

Because of that… experience, Yang was forced to sit on a bag of ice cubes, and Blake was absolutely exhausted. Both of them could barely walk. They hadn't talked ever since they limped back into their room.

Finally, Blake broke the silence. "So… was it good for you?", she weakly asked.

Yang rolled her head over to where Blake was sitting. "Not really…", she said in a pained voice.

"Yeah, me neither. Oh well.", agreed Blake. "_I guess I can't use that in my story then._", she absent mindedly thought.

"We should NEVER do that again.", groaned Yang. It was embarrassing enough for her to clean up that mess. Now she wouldn't be able to get that smell out of her shirt for at least a month, if she was lucky. She was seriously considering tossing it out by now.

"Agreed.", Blake confirmed. She started to consider that maybe her favorite authors never actually tried some of the stuff they wrote about. There was no way in hell that they knew about what THAT experience did to the Human OR Faunus body. "So… what do you want now?", she asked.

"Other than an I.V. drip? Some ice cream would be nice.", was Yang's reply.

She glanced over to the team's mini-fridge and feebly reached out towards it. Unfortunately, since both of them had sat down, they couldn't get up again. That was a real shame, too. There was some nice birthday cake ice cream in there. Yang had no idea how Ruby got Weiss to buy that for her. She probably used her best 'I'm a puppy' eyes.

Weiss. What did she even think about Weiss? Yang knew that she could be really rude and abrasive, but if she was in love with Ruby, maybe there was more to her. Even though her opinion of her improved after hearing her sing, she couldn't help but be the protective big sister. Yet again, she knew her sister was growing up fast. Hell, what did she know, anyway? She should probably listen to Blake more about courtship and romance.

"_Actually, that might not be that great of an idea_.", Yang thought. Considering what her favorite books were about, she might not have the best grasp on that concept. But at least a small knowledge is better than almost none.

In fact, the way they became a couple was something along the lines of:

"Want to be a couple?".

"… Okay.".

And thus, their relationship was born.

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><p>Speaking of new relationships, Ruby kicked in the door to their room around the time Yang finished her narrative related thoughts. She cradled a sleeping Weiss in her arms. The incredible duo of Yang and Blake couldn't help but stare. What's the deal here?<p>

Blake on the inside was seeing like a schoolgirl. Love always triumphed! It was just like her books and anime told her! They fit the roles perfectly! Ruby was the naïve new girl who brought out the softer side of the cold tsundere! She knew it! She KNEW it!

Yang on the inside, however, was torn between screaming in anger and terror, and confusion. Just what had happened to cause this? After what happened today, her brain was pretty much scrambled at this point. She could barely comprehend what the obvious answer was.

Sensing everyone's confusion, Ruby tried to think of something to say. "_Think Ruby, think! What can you say? 'Weiss and I are in a relationship'? No, that's too on the nose. Should I tell them exactly what happened? No, Weiss wouldn't want the others knowing about her breakdown. What should I say?_". Finally settling on something, she opened her mouth.

"Err… ummm… I think I should tell you guys something.". Walking over to Weiss' bed, she tucked Weiss under the covers to let her rest. Sitting next to her, Ruby started to play with her fingers.

"I umm… you see, I… man, this is hard…", mumbled Ruby.

"It's okay, Ruby. Just let it out.", Blake said, with a cat like grin on her face. This was all too great.

"I-I… I… I LOVE WEISS AND SHE LOVES ME!", she finally managed to shout out. It felt good to say. The words tasted like the sweetest thing imaginable. Is this what it was like to be in love?

Yang's jaw dropped and Blake's squee traveled down her brain and out her mouth. She tried to move over to where Yang was sitting, but the numbness in her lower half stopped her from moving. Instead, Blake settled for flashing a thumbs up. Yang's face was still frozen in shock. "_I-in love!?_". Her sister had grown up so fast! She felt pride for her little sis swell in her chest. She wasn't just a little girl anymore.

Ruby couldn't help but pour out what she was thinking. "Me and Weiss talked in the garden and then she admitted she like-liked me and then I like-liked her and then we hugged and then we looked at flowers and then she fell asleep so I bundled her up and then I kicked in the door and here I am and I KNOW I LOVE HER!", she ranted. She was squirming at Blake and Yang's looks.

Yang felt so, so proud of her sister. It was so CUTE that she was in love, even if it was with Weiss. Oh well, she could sort that out with her when she woke up. A warm smile grew across her lips. She said, "Oh, I was waiting for this day! Come on, give your sis a hug!".

Overcome with emotion, Ruby tackled her sister in an Ursa hug. It would have been a nice moment, if Yang hadn't been shoved about a foot back on her chair. The ice bag flew from under her rear.

"OWWWIIIEEEE! Ruby, Ruby, Ruby! Let go! LET GO!", screamed Yang in absolute agony. Lightning dust was worse than flirty assholes with red ties, she decided in her mind. She was pretty sure she smelled blood at this point. "_Why does the universe like pissing on me so much?_", she thought through the pain. This was the second ruined pair of shorts this week, too.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry!", apologized Ruby as she crawled off of Yang. She was starting to apologize as much as Pyrrha did. Yang got back up and sat on the ice pack.

"Now I know what they mean when they say love hurts…", was her groaned out joke. Leave it Yang to crack jokes while feeling like her rear was on fire. Blake chuckled at the lame joke.

Ruby started to wipe away tears of joy. "It feels so good! Love and stuff! I love her!", she declared. She rushed over to Weiss to give her a hug. It felt so warm and nice. Weiss smiled in her sleep.

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><p>In Weiss' dream, she was lying on a white beach with Ruby. They were holding hands, their fingers intertwined. She could hear the waves crash against the shore as she stared at a brilliantly lit night sky. The broken moon hung in place in the heavens. Weiss could see all of the constellations around it: The Crystal, The Key, The Bow, The Hunter, and most importantly, The Lovers. Weiss turned her head to look at Ruby.<p>

Ruby was also looking at the sky, her eyes focused on the broken pieces of the moon in the distance. "Hey, Weiss?", started Ruby.

"Hmm?", responded Weiss. Ruby's grip felt soft and warm to her.

"What are dreams?", she asked. It was a little jarring to hear Ruby be philosophical.

Weiss didn't know how to answer that. Dreams were hard to explain. Given what happened today, it was hard to tell. Dreams and reality simultaneously felt the same. Ruby's eyes met hers. She looked like she was expecting an answer.

"I… don't know, Ruby. Dreams are dreams. We all have them when we sleep. But, sometimes when we know things are right in reality, we might think they're also dreams.", Weiss concluded.

"But where does the dream end and reality begin? Does that mean everything's all right if they begin and end the same?", asked Ruby further.

"I suppose so. I just feel… perfect with you.". Weiss smiled at the thought.

"Does that mean that love makes you feel complete?", Ruby continued to question.

Weiss decided to sit up. She pulled Ruby's head into her lap. Her hands started to play with Ruby's hair. "You may be onto something…", cooed Weiss, "But it isn't exactly right. I think… that as long I'm with you, WE'RE perfect. Together.".

"Together…", mused Ruby. "I think I like being together.".

"Me too, Ruby. Me too.", Weiss agreed. Both then returned their gaze to the night sky.

They were treated to the shattered moon starting to pull together it's pieces. The celestial body was starting to look more complete by the minute. Weiss thought that they were just like that moon: pulling together to make something pretty between themselves. When the moon was finally complete, it started to move across the horizon. It dipped below the azure sea before them.

Weiss felt like the barriers of their bodies were melting away. It felt right, being here with Ruby. Everything was good in the dream, in the world. Suddenly, a sad thought occurred to her.

"I'm sad that this dream has to end eventually…", she sighed out.

Ruby's eyes looked into hers. Her grey eyes matched the color of the moon. It's as if they were heavenly bodies themselves.

"Weiss, you silly goose.", she said with a reassuring smile. "This dream won't end when you wake up. But you already knew that, didn't you?".

Weiss smiled at Ruby's statement. "Yeah. I guess I did.", she agreed, knowingly.

The pair continued to look across the sea. The waters shifted colors, changing from blue, to white, and finally settled on rose red. Weiss didn't mind. In fact, she could stay here with Ruby for all time.

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><p>It was late at night. When Ruby brought Weiss into the dorm, it was already starting to get late. So, while Blake and Yang finally managed to crawl into their bunks, Ruby instead decided to curl up next to Weiss. Her warm breath tickled Ruby's nose. It was actually quite relaxing. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep as well.<p>

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><p>Ruby was sitting on the balcony of her favorite café. Of course it was her favorite one, it made her favorite type of hot chocolate and biscotti. She was seated at iron wrought table, drinking from a mug. She didn't know why, but she felt anxious, as if someone was running late. A shadow fell over her plate of cookies.<p>

"Is it okay for me to sit here?", asked a white figure. She wore a white dress and a large sunhat. Wait… it was Weiss! Of course, she was waiting for Weiss here! Ruby couldn't help but feel like kicking herself for forgetting.

Feeling her smile grow, she said, "Of course! It's always nice to see you.".

Weiss sat at the seat next to her, her blue eyes matching her gaze. It looked like she was waiting for her to say something.

"I-it's nice seeing you today.", stuttered Ruby. Weiss frowned.

"It isn't nice seeing me on other days?", she asked in a low voice.

Ruby frantically shook her hands. "N-no! Not at all! I love seeing you every day!", she tried to reassure.

Weiss suddenly burst into laughter. Ruby stopped waving her arms, confused. Why was she laughing?

"It's okay, you dork! It's just a joke!", she chuckled. Realizing that Weiss was messing with her, she joined Weiss in laughing. Even if it wasn't often that Ruby and Weiss shared laughter, it always felt nice when they did. Eventually, their laughs died down.

"So, what are we doing here?", asked Ruby, her lungs still slightly stinging from Weiss' fake out. To be honest, she had no idea how she got here, or why.

Weiss looked genuinely confused at the question. "What, you don't remember?", she asked. Ruby shook her head.

"This is our date! You called me up and told me about this café that was to DIE for. So, I came here around three o'clock, just like you asked.", Weiss explained.

Oh! A date? She and Weiss went on dates? Ruby had never been on one! How should she know how to act while on one? She tried to think of something to talk about.

"Umm… today is sure nice for a day, don't you think?", she asked. Ruby immediately cringed at how stupid her attempt at small talk sounded. Weiss, however, was amused at her embarrassment.

"Ruby! You dork!", she giggled. Weiss put her hand on Ruby's. Ruby's face started to blush a deep red.

"I love it when you're… you.", she whispered in her ear. A quick kiss was placed on Ruby's cheek. Her blush grew even redder. Is this what it was like to be a couple? She gently touched the area that Weiss' lips brushed against. Kissing wasn't THAT over-rated, after all.

It was Weiss' turn to blush now. She reached her hand into her purse and pulled out a long, black case. "I-I got this for you.", she said, a little embarrassed to be doing this in public. She pulled out a silver chain with something on the middle. It was a small rose, carved out of a brilliant red ruby. Ruby thought it was beautiful with it's simple design. Weiss stood up and walked around to Ruby's back. Placing the necklace around her neck, she fixed the clasp.

Ruby felt the weight of the necklace as Weiss let it go. It wasn't beautiful because of it's silver or it's gems. It was beautiful because Weiss thought it was beautiful on her. She was speechless at the token of affection.

"I… it's…. thank you.", Ruby managed to whisper. Tears started to form around her vision.

"Oh Ruby, please don't cry… I'll cry too…", Weiss said, seeing her girlfriend starting to cry. Ruby could see her blue eyes start to get hazy. Soon enough, a tear fell down her cheek. Ruby pulled Weiss into a hug.

"I LOVE you! I just love everything about you! You give, you feel, you like me! You really, REALLY like me!", she cried. Her hug grew tighter. There was no doubt in her mind now:

Ruby really did love Weiss.

Ruby didn't notice the scene change. Even if she did, it wouldn't really matter. She allowed her emotions to control her dream. They were sitting in a well furnished apartment, with complete view of the harbor city of Vale. The lights of the distant city gleamed like stars.

The couch beneath them felt soft, as if they were sitting on a cloud. A fire roared in a fireplace, reflecting dim light on Ruby and Weiss' faces. Their faces hung a scant two inches from each other, daring to move closer.

"I love you, Ruby.", breathed out Weiss. Taking Ruby's head in her hands, she gave a deep kiss to Ruby. Sparks flew in Ruby's brain. This is what a real kiss felt like. This is what LOVE felt like. Being released from Weiss' embrace, Ruby instantly craved more. She wanted it, she needed it.

"I love you too!", cried Ruby. She then moved her lips over Weiss' and plunged her tongue into her mouth. She could feel the world fading away around her. Eventually, it was just Weiss and her alone. Weiss was the only world that she needed. Weiss was the world to her. Even if Remnant, the sun, and the stars all disappeared, she knew her love for Weiss would remain constant.

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><p>Yes, dreams were something that all people had. Sure, they may not be reality, exactly. But, sometimes when people meet with each other, dreams and reality could be blended.<p>

Dreams.

Reality.

Love.

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><p><strong>Wow, the punches of feeling keep on landing! I hope you enjoyed the fluff! And be sure to wait for more, same time, same place! Remember, tell me what you think so far! This is The Draigg, signing off for now.<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Setting Up (Ground Rules)

**Hi, it's The Draigg again! Pull off that wrapping and open the box. Surprise! It's another chapter! Before you enjoy your gift, be sure to remember that Monty Oum owns RWBY, and that any other media mentioned is owned by their creators. Also, be sure to thank JimboYokimbo for helping me! Now, you can start reading this stuff!**

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><p>Tuesday. Team RWBY didn't have a morning class on Tuesdays. So, that was the day that they got a little extra sleep. In fact, one would just fall asleep by standing next to their door. That's how much they slept in.<p>

Weiss cracked open her eyes. Shifting her gaze over to the clock, she saw that it was eight o'clock. Given her breakdown yesterday, it came as no surprise to her that she slept in late. She just felt so tired from her tears. But, for some reason, everything felt okay. Then she realized that Ruby had slept next to her while she was asleep.

Weiss started to panic. Not again! Oh god, Yang is going to KILL her! She never even got her chance to fully love Ruby! Her breathing started to grow faster. Oh no, oh no, oh no! Not like this! Weiss' breathing grew shallow. She was sucking in air and blowing it out as fast as possible. Her breath was starting to tickle Ruby.

"Weiss… stop it… you're tickling me…", mumbled Ruby. She pulled Weiss close to her. Weiss in turn wrapped her arms around her.

"Ruby, if I die here, don't forget that I love you…", choked out Weiss. There was very little that could terrify Weiss. Overprotective sisters that could light people on fire with her aura was one of them.

"…Huh? What're you talking about…?", groaned Ruby. Now awoken, she rubbed the crud out of her eyes. By now, Weiss' hug started to turn into a vice grip.

"Can't move, Yang will kill me. Can't move, Yang will kill me…", Weiss kept on chanting. She buried her head in Ruby's chest. Ruby blushed at the position. Weirdly enough, Weiss' head fit perfectly between her breasts. It felt odd, if secretly a little stimulating.

"Wait, you're scared of Yang?", asked Ruby. She could feel Weiss nod her head. Ruby couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, Weiss! We talked it over! She's cool, don't worry!".

As soon as Weiss heard Ruby's words, she let go and pulled she head out of Ruby's chest. Inwardly, Ruby felt a little disappointed. Smoothing out her nightgown, Weiss tried her best to look dignified.

"That was… a test. I just wanted to see how you reacted!", Weiss said, trying to save face. Naturally, Ruby knew that wasn't true. What was what Blake had once called her? A tsundere or something? Whatever that was, she was probably acting like one right now. She would have to ask Blake later.

Patting Weiss' hair, she said, "Sure you were, Weiss. Sure you were.". Weiss face scrunched up in protest of her sarcasm. That just made her look even cuter to Ruby. Before she could defend herself, both Ruby and Weiss were startled by a loud thud.

Yang hag a bad habit of moving around in her sleep. She often tossed and turned. Hell, she just randomly punched the air sometimes. They must be good dreams, since she usually had a smile on while she did it. Today, she had delivered a kick that ended up with her falling out of her bunk.

A groan filled the room as Yang sat up from where he fell, rubbing her head. She looked around in a daze. She looked over at Weiss and Ruby. "Morning, lovebirds.", she groaned.

Weiss was stiff with terror. Ruby, on the other hand, smiled. "Good morning, Yang!", she said with a smile. Standing up, Yang walked over to the bathroom. "I'm gonna shower first, okay?", Yang said.

"Just save some warm water, okay?", warned Ruby.

Yang let out a slight smirk. "I won't promise anything". She shut the bathroom door. Ruby and Weiss could hear her start the shower.

Weiss audibly exhaled. Ruby just grinned at her. "You were still scared, weren't you?", she teased.

Weiss' eyes shifted around nervously before she settled on a steely gaze on Ruby. "It was still a test!", was her defense. She leapt out of bed. "You don't know! You don't know!", she continued. Ruby was giggling by now. Clearly, her excuses weren't believable.

Unknown to them, Blake was eavesdropping on them. Her cat smile grew. Yeah, this was EXACTLY like her books and anime. Now all that was left was for one of them to call the other 'sempai'. Then her fantasy would be complete.

Overall, this morning wasn't too out of the ordinary so far.

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><p>Classes were boring, as usual. It was the regular drag the team running (Or in the cases of Blake and Yang, limping.) from class to class. Luckily, there was nothing much left to do today at practice. All they had left to do was put together the sets and see how they fitted together. So, that meant the actors and script crew could just relax today.<p>

Naturally, everyone was curious as to why Weiss had run off crying yesterday. Weiss had wanted to come up with an excuse, since she didn't want to look bad. However, on the way over, Ruby convinced her to tell the truth. So, when she revealed that she and Ruby loved each other, everyone was surprisingly supportive.

"Wow! How cool!", was Nora's reaction.

"Congratulations.", Ren said with a hint of a smile.

"Weiss, I'm proud of you! It's never easy to just admit your emotions.", congratulated Pyrrha.

"So, the princess is into the damsels? Huh, now that I think about it, it makes sense.", said Jaune, voicing his thoughts.

"This is excellent! Now your acting will be even better!", exclaimed Velvet. Everyone turned to her to give her odd looks. Thinking quickly, she redid her sentence. "I mean, congrats, Weiss! Love always prevails!". Seeing that everyone bought it, she gave a small breath of relief.

Moving on from that, Team JNPR started to assemble the set pieces. Weiss continued to chide Ruby for eating too many cookies, and Blake had run off to the walkways above the stage to read a book. Yang, however, was on a mission. Even if Ruby liked Weiss, Yang had to make sure that Weiss knew what dating Ruby would be like. She strode over to the food table.

"You're going to gain thirty pounds!", exclaimed Weiss. Her statement didn't stop Ruby from shoveling cookies in her mouth. She had so many in her mouth that she couldn't fully close it.

"Ife down't no whaff ur fsayin, Weisff.", Ruby said, her mouth full. "Ife halfn't gffained a pfoundd.". She then tried to grin. With the bits of sprinkles and raisins between her teeth, it was pretty disgusting.

Weiss suppressed a gag. Grabbing a napkin, she tried to ignore Ruby's mouth. "And don't talk with your mouth full, you dork!", she scolded. As she started to wipe off the corners of Ruby's mouth, Yang tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, mind if I talk with you? Over there?", Yang asked, gesturing to the back stage changing booths.

"Er… ummm... sure.", Weiss agreed. "_She's going to kill me! I knew it!_", she panicked on the inside. Finishing cleaning Ruby's mouth, she followed Yang as she walked.

As soon as they got there, Weiss held her arms out to her sides. "Okay, just make it quick.", she sighed, resigned to her fate. Yang gave her an odd look.

"What?", she asked, confused. Then , it clicked in her head. "You think I'm going to kill you?". Yang started to laugh. "Oh man, that's too rich!", she said full of mirth. Weiss lowered her arms.

"You're… not going to kill me?", Weiss asked.

"Of course not! Not of my sis loves ya!", answered Yang, her laughing slowing down. "I just want to talk to you about her.", she continued on, her voice getting more serious. Weiss gulped. Even if Yang wasn't planning on killing her now, she still felt pure terror.

Yang put her arm around Weiss, in an attempt for her to calm down. It pretty much ended up doing the opposite. "Now, I know you love my sister, right?", asked Yang.

"R-right.", Weiss managed to say through her fear. It felt like she was being interrogated.

"Right, right. So, have you slept with her yet?", Yang asked on. Well, THAT was a blunt question. Weiss was shocked at how casual she was talking about this.

"What? Of course not! I can assure you, I will try to court her properly!", assured Weiss. While the thought of doing THAT had repeatedly crossed her mind (Especially in her dreams.), one thing that Weiss had prided herself on was having self-control.

"Good, good. Now, Weiss-y, we're friends right? So, you should have no problem following the rules for dating my sis.", said Yang. She made sure her eyes met Weiss'. She flared her aura, to make her look a little scary. "_This is too easy!_", she thought.

When Weiss saw the small flame in Yang's eyes, she tried her best not to let loose her bowels. Despite her best efforts, the smallest drop of urine escaped her and dampened her undergarments. If this kept up, she might need to call a janitor.

"Rule one: If I EVER find out that you want to bang her without her being ready, you'll become a stain on the wall. Rule two: IF you break her heart, I'll break YOU. And finally, rule three: try being nicer. Ruby has a big heart, so she's a little sensitive when it comes to emotions. Ya got it?", Yang listed off.

Weiss nodded, her mind being too afraid to disagree. Yang pulled her arm off of her. Suddenly, Yang decided to pat Weiss on the back. "Come on, don't be like that. Have some fun!", she encouraged. She started to move to the stage curtain. Before she went through, she turned to Weiss. "But remember, if you do ANYTHING to her, I'll come down on you so hard that you'd think you'd been gang banged by trains.". Yang exited through the curtain after her threat.

Weiss stood there, shaking. Yang could be really scary sometimes. Or, now that she was seeing Ruby, all the time. She really needed to find a bathroom. She really needed to pee. Weiss rushed off, in search of a porcelain throne.

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><p>Team JNPR was busy setting up the street set. Given the amount of time they had to make the sets, plus their low budget, it was one fake wall painted to look like brick, and another one painted to look like a store front. It wasn't the best they could do, but it was serviceable. As they erected the walls, Velvet kept on obsessing over the ways the play could go. It was starting to get grating.<p>

"…I mean, what if they throw fruit again? Or garbage? Oh, I won't be able to live with myself. Oh no, what if they light the stage on fire! I heard that someone wanted to do that last time! Oh, no, no, no!".

Velvet was pacing around the stage. To say that she was unnecessarily worried was saying that the Delvez Sea was a little wet, or that Ursas could get a little grumpy. Finally, Jaune had to step in. Leaving Ren to support the wall, he walked over to Velvet and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"You've been saying that for the past hour! Just calm down, dang it! Everything will be fine!", she said, fed up with her worrying. Jaune let her go when she looked at him. "Just focus on what happens AFTER. Like an encore or something. Okay?", he pleaded.

That brought a shine to Velvet's eyes. "An encore! Of course, why haven't I thought of it yet?", she thought out loud.

"Because you were panicking.", came Ren's strained voice. That wall was way heavier than it looked. Remembering how he left Ren, Jaune ran back over before the wall was dropped.

"If the audience wanted an encore, what should we do?", Velvet mused. That had never really happened before. But, with this musical, it might actually happen.

"Oh! OH! I know, I know!", Nora interjected. She let one arm go while holding up the wall. She didn't really seem to have any issue lifting it up. In fact, she made it look easy.

"Really? You do?", was Velvet's enthused reply.

"We can have Ren do one of his kooky things!", Nora suggested. Her statement was greeted by silence.

Eventually, the only thing heard was Pyrrha's confusion. "Kooky?".

Ren sighed. It wouldn't be the first time he had to clarify facts that Nora should already know about him. And it also wouldn't be the first time she used the word 'kooky', either.

"She means kabuki.", Ren explained.

"Ohhh... I still have no idea what you're talking about.", Jaune said.

Ren sighed. "_This is what I get for not being more sociable._", he thought.

"Kabuki theater. It's an honorable, ancient tradition of my people. It's like this musical, except we sing with our bodies instead of our mouths.", he explained further.

There was an awkward pause. Velvet put a voice to what everyone else was thinking about.

"...Is it a sex thing?", she asked, a small blush on her face.

If he wasn't currently holding up the wall for Pyrrha to add supports, he would have slapped his forehead repeatedly. He started to explain again:

"Urrgh. Why is EVERYTHING about sex with you people? Kabuki theater is...".

Ren was cut off by Nora. You know, that was a pretty bad downside to having a hyperactive friend. He should really check if she had a disorder of some kind.

"He puts on funny clothes and a mask, and dances around until someone else shows up to do stuff with him!", Nora tried to explain. Once again, there was a profound silence.

"... It still sounds like a sex thing.", Pyrrha drawled out.

Ren by now was getting a severe headache. Now getting frustrated, he said, "Look, you really need to acrobatic in order to do kabuki. You need to limber and flexible. Otherwise, you can't-". Ren was cut off by Velvet. Damn it!

"I'm not comfortable with you having sex on stage, Ren. It doesn't matter how flexible you are.", she decided. Everyone else nodded in agreement. Ren hung his head in defeat. He really had a thankless job being the straight man here.

"No offence, Ren, but nobody would want to see you have sex on stage. It would be weird for everyone.", Jaune said. Ren took offence anyway. Oh man, was he offended. Kabuki theater was a treasured part of his culture, damn it! Not some weird, creepy public sex thing!

"If that's what you think I would do up there, then all of you are a bunch of f-", Ren tried to spit out before being interrupted once more.

"Moving on!", announced Velvet. "What if we thought of a rock song to play? Can any of you play an instrument?".

As the conversation continued around him, Ren couldn't help but wonder, "_Man, the universe just hates me, doesn't it?._" He wasn't exactly wrong.

The universe hates everyone all the same.

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><p><strong>And there you have it! Another chapter finished! Just want to give a quick shout out to JimboYokimbo. He helped me edit this chapter. Check out his stuff, he's a cool guy! Be sure to tell me what you think in the reviews section, okay? And be sure to be ready for more! This is The Draigg, signing off currently.<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: A Little Early For An Encore

**Swiggity swoogity, it's The Draigg here once again! Before I drop a sick chapter on y'all, I wanna give a shout out to my peep JimboYokimbo. He's helping me edit, so he's my homie. I should clear up that Monty Oum cranked out RWBY, not me. I also don't lay a claim to any media mentioned. Now, let's lay down some sick beats, yo!**

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><p>When Weiss came back from the bathroom, the stage crew was enveloped in a lively debate. Well, most of them, anyway. Ren looked like he really needed some aspirin. He also kept on rolling his eyes. When Weiss made her way up to the stage, she could hear why.<p>

"Maybe we could have Jaune rap!', Velvet suggested for an encore. That got her many confused looks.

"What makes you think I can even DO that?!", was Jaune's confused response.

"Well… because… you're you know… urban?", Velvet justified. For some reason, this conversation kept on being filled with awkward silences. This was no exception. Ren finally broke the silence.

"I don't even want to know your thought process on that one.". For once, everyone agreed with what Ren said. At least they listened to him this time.

"All I'm saying is that you look like you used to be a bloody hoodie of some kind.", was Velvet's defense. It was at this point that Team JNPR started to believe that this play was starting to fry Velvet's mind.

Looking on, Weiss wisely decided not to get involved. Instead, she walked back over to the snack table, where Ruby was slumped over in a nearby chair. She was looking quite ill. All the cookies she had eaten over the past week and a half were starting to take their toll.

"Weissssss….. my tummy hurts….", she groaned.

Weiss sighed. She told her repeatedly what would happen if she ate nothing but cookies and snacks for dinner. She had clearly crossed the line tonight. About ten packages of Little Red's Cheesecake Nibblers surrounded her, completely empty. Not even a crumb was left.

"I knew this would happen. Come on, let's go.", Weiss said, waiting for Ruby to stand up. Instead, Ruby reached her arms out to Weiss.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. She wanted to be carried? She really is childish. Weiss let out another sight. "All right, I'll carry you.", she complied.

Lifting up Ruby, Weiss tried to adjust her grip. In response, Ruby nestled further in Weiss' grasp. Despite being called an 'Ice Princess', Weiss actually felt pretty warm. Soon, Ruby relaxed in Weiss' hold.

"Thanks, Mommy…", mumbled Ruby. Then her eyes shot open, realizing her Freudian slip. "I mean Weiss!", she corrected.

Mommy? That was weird. Weiss tried to ignore Ruby's awkward gaffe. As she carried her down the hall, Weiss couldn't help but remember her own mom. It wasn't a happy memory.

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><p>The Schnee family wasn't always as cold as they are now. Sure, Mr. Schnee was always a little distant, but Mrs. Schnee used to always adore her daughter. Weiss could remember the times that they played in their estate's garden, with her mom naming all the types of flowers that grew there. But, as the White Fang's attacks on her family grew, her mom soured alongside her dad. It was subtle, starting with her mom not wanting to play with her as much. Eventually, it had gotten to the point that Weiss was lucky to see her at dinner.<p>

So, she started acting out, hoping to get her mom's attention. Weiss didn't even care if she got into trouble; it was an even worse fate not seeing her. But no matter all the times Weiss ripped out her mom's prized flowers, no matter all the times she started bullying the wait staff, she would never arrive. Weiss often cried herself to sleep, wondering why Mommy didn't want her.

However, one day she spent all day sitting in the parlor, staring blankly ahead. Weiss thought that this was her chance. Maybe Mommy would want to play with her again! Walking up to her, Weiss started to pull on her skirt. "Mommy! Mommy!", she cried. Mrs. Schnee didn't respond.

Weiss kept on tugging at her skirt. Why wasn't she paying attention to her? Did she do something bad? She was starting to get scared. "MOMMY!", she begged. Weiss tried not to cry. Big girls didn't cry. Now she was getting desperate.

Weiss tried to crawl on her lap, hoping that would work. However, Mrs. Schnee shoved her off. 'Don't touch me, you little BRAT!", she finally yelled. Weiss had given up on repressing her tears. She sat on the ground, weeping. "Why, Mommy? Why don't you want me?", she cried. Mrs. Schnee didn't give her an answer. Instead, she gave an order to a nearby maid.

"Take her to her room. I don't want to see her.", barked Mrs. Schnee. She returned to staring at the wall. The maid picked up Weiss and took her to her bed. Weiss kept on crying all through the day. Was she a bad girl? Did Mommy hate her? She didn't know what she did!

It was only when she was older that she realized that was the day her aunt had been murdered, killed by a car bomb. It was confirmed to be a White Fang attack, but no arrests were made. Mrs. Schnee was never the same after that.

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><p>It was at this time that Ruby and Weiss made it back to the dorm room. Making her way over to her bunk, Weiss place Ruby down gently. Sitting next to her, Weiss held Ruby's hand. They remained like that for ten minutes.<p>

Weiss finally asked, "Ruby? Why did you call me 'Mommy'?". Ruby looked embarrassed at the memory.

"I… umm… you kind of remind me of my mom.", was Ruby's answer. She blushed at her words.

"And how do I do that?", Weiss asked, now curious as to how.

"Well, my mom had a thing for white, for starters.", Ruby chuckled. But then she reverted into a sort of melancholy state.

"She… died a while ago. But I remember her looking out for me, a lot like you do. Telling me what's healthy, helping me with homework, all that stuff.", she explained.

Weiss could notice tears start to form at the corners of Ruby's eyes. Laying down, she pulled Ruby into a hug. "It's okay, you don't have to talk about it.", Weiss said, soothingly.

Ruby nodded, starting to cry. "Th-thanks. I-I miss her.", she sobbed. Weiss hovered her mouth over Ruby's ear.

"Did I ever tell you about my mom?", she whispered. Ruby shook her head. "Well…", Weiss explained, "She used to be like your mom. She used to watch out for me too. We used to play ALL the time in our garden. But… things changed.". Weiss swallowed hard. This was tough for her to get out.

"I saw her less and less every day. I thought I did something wrong, so I tried everything I could to see her again. But, there was nothing I could do. And… once my relatives started to die… I knew I couldn't get my mom back.". Weiss choked back tears. It was getting to be too much. She couldn't just break down every time she felt sorry for herself. She needed to be strong, not just for her own sake, but now for Ruby's too.

"I… I didn't know, Weiss.", Ruby in a low voice. She was wiping away her own tears.

"It's okay… I learned that as long as I had myself, I didn't need to cry.", Weiss replied.

Ruby grabbed Weiss' hand and intertwined her fingers with hers. She said, "But we have each other now. Even if you can't cry, I'll cry for you.".

Weiss was struck by her words. THIS is why she loved this girl. She had so much love for everyone. Even if Weiss was having a bad time, she wouldn't be afraid to share herself to make her feel better. "Thank you.", she whispered. They hugged each other tighter.

They stayed in that position until the next morning.

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><p>Meanwhile, stet up for the musical had just let out. Even though the group made no headway on what their encore should be, Velvet still held her head up high. They might finish set up a little earlier than she thought. So, when she opened the door to the office, she was practically elated to be there.<p>

Sitting at her desk, she looked at the pile of unopened letters. She had gotten them, but since she was too busy on the musical, she never had the chance to open them. Now was probably the time to start reading them. She started to go through the ones from last week. There was nothing interesting, just extra applicant forms and reminders that it was her ass on the line if she messed this musical up. It wasn't anything she already didn't know.

When she got to the latest one, she froze. This one had Professor Ozpins' personal header on the envelope. Curious, she opened the envelope. A short letter was inside. It read:

_Dear Ms. Scarlatina:_

_As you are aware, the Administration Office is quite aware of your Theater Club related activities. While the Beacon Academy staff is always supportive of the performing arts, I am afraid I must deliver some unfortunate news. In regards to your query of getting more team or student credits for your associates, I am afraid that that is simply not an option. Student credits are only available to full time club members, not for recruited volunteers. I am sure that your staff will understand the reasoning behind this decision. We look forward to watching your musical. I am assured that it will be appealing to the casual theater goer._

_Thank you for your cooperation._

_Professor Ozpin_

Velvet slumped in her chair as she dropped the letter. This was bad. Very bad. "_What if they leave? That was the reason they agreed to do this in the first place!_", Velvet thought. She started to panic. If she told the crew about the credit issue, they might leave. But, if she hid the news from them, then what kind of friend would she be? It was like playing game theory with herself. How could she solve this issue?

Ouch! She felt a headache coming on. Massaging her temples, she mused to herself. "_What should I do? What should I do?! Wait, what if I half reveal it to them? Aww, bloody hell. How would I even do that?_".

In a frenzy, she typed a message for Jaune on her scroll. She said that it was a club member emergency, and that he was needed at the office right away. Sending it, she hoped that he could think of a solution.

It only took Jaune ten minutes to get to the office. The all caps, misspelled plea for help certainly made him moved faster than normal. When he knocked on the door, she practically ripped it of it's hinges getting it open. "We have a problem!", exclaimed a breathless Velvet. Before Jaune had a chance to react, she grabbed him and shoved him into the office.

Smoothing out his shirt, he asked, "What is it Velvet Oh, did the Faunus rights groups send more death threats?!". A look of terror flashed across his face. The Faunus, for some reason, were more offended than the other students after that disaster two months ago.

"No! We can't get anyone their credits!", said Velvet, her nerves starting to take over.

"Ohh…", sighed Jaune, his eyes dulling with unhappiness. "What should we do?", he asked Velvet.

"I… umm… I-I don't know!", exclaimed Velvet, her stutter coming back. Now her nerves were failing her. She conquered her stutter a while ago, trying to put on a brave face. It was failing now. Walking over to the desk, both Jaune and Velvet sat down. Velvet pulled at her ears, and Jaune couldn't stop rubbing his eyes. They practically had no other options.

"D-do you hav-ve any i-ideas-s?", Velvet begged. Her heart rate was launching upwards.

Jaune had a look of quiet solemn on his face. But, in his mind, he knew he had to live up to what had happened. Finally, Jaune decided, "I think we should just tell them.".

"I-is there a-any o-other way? A-anything?", begged Velvet.

"I can't see any other way, Velvs. We were the ones who gave them a chance, and we failed them. It's on our heads now.", Jaune said with a hint of defeat. This was a crappy situation, and both of them knew it.

After that, both of them sat in silence. It didn't matter if this hurt the Theater Club in any way. They felt like they let down Teams RWBY and JNPR. They made promises they couldn't keep. This was a low moment for them. Jaune and Velvet had no idea what to do anymore.

After all the work they put in, this is the way they thanked their friends? It didn't feel fair in the slightest. It felt slimy, not helping your friends when they helped you. Hell, without this musical, the Theater Club would probably fade away into nothingness.

Sighing in despair, Jaune stood up. No matter what, his friends had to face the facts. "I'll go break the news.", he announced. Someone had to do it. He figured it might as well be him. He did get them into this musical, after all.

Before Jaune walked through the door, Velvet asked, "W-what do you th-think will h-happen?". Her eyes revealed her inner sadness and desperation. Letting his shoulders fall, Jaune responded with what he felt:

"I don't know. I just don't know.".

With that, Jaune left, ready to face the music.

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><p><strong>Ohh! Drama bomb! Be sure to send in some reviews to tell me what you think! And thanks for reading so far! This is The Draigg, signing off for this thing.<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Facing The Music(al)

**'****Sup, it's The Draigg here again, with a brand spanking new chapter. Now, I should go through to motions, saying that I don't own RWBY or any other media mentioned. Monty Oum owns RWBY. Now, let's read another chapter!**

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><p>Jaune was uncharacteristically quiet the next morning at breakfast. He led his head in his hands as the others ate around him. How was he supposed to break the news to everyone? Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, after all. But he was the guy who got them into this in the first place! The universe really liked to make things unfair.<p>

His unusual depression caught the attention Pyrrha. She tried to get his attention by putting her arm around him.

"Is everything alright?", she asked.

Jaune really wanted to say yes to her. He wanted to say that everything was fine, and that everyone would get their extra credit. But, if he lied now, he would only make his situation even worse. So, he decided to tell the truth.

"No, no, something went wrong, Pyrrha. It went wrong and I don't know how to make it better.", he confessed. Now this got everyone else's attention. This didn't sound good.

"What is it, Jaune?" asked Ruby, now concerned as well. Jaune didn't look at her as he gave his response.

"We'll deal with it at the musical set up tonight.", he answered. With that, he picked up his uneaten try of food and walked away from the table. Now the entire table was starting to get scared. What could have happened to cause Jaune to act like this? Now, their future seemed uncertain. Breakfast continued in silence.

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><p>Velvet was dreading the idea of walking through those theater doors that evening. Once she stepped through, she knew she would bring nothing but disappointment. Sighing, she tried to steel her resolve. Velvet knew she had to do this. But, she didn't like it in the slightest.<p>

Walking in the room, she saw Teams RWBY and JNPR sitting in the front row of sets. Upon seeing Velvet, Jaune stood up and walked to the front of the group. Soon, Velvet joined him up front. The group watched the pair expectantly.

"So, Jaune said there was some sort of problem. What is it?", Ruby asked. Her nervous habit of playing with her fingers was giving away her true feelings, even though her voice remained calm.

"W-w-well, th-there's a p-problem we need your op-pinion on-n.", Velvet stuttered. Now it was Jaune's turn to step in.

"There's a… problem with the team credits for making this musical.". Jaune paused, trying to find the right words to continue. "Namely, none of you will get any.". He cringed when he said that. Those words weren't a very good choice. There was a profound quiet after he said that.

Weiss was furious. What was the point of doing all of this work if she didn't get anything? Through barely clenched teeth, she asked, "What?!".

Velvet desperately wanted to flee from this meeting. Weiss was giving her glares that threatened to freeze her solid. Panicking, Velvet choked out a quick response:

"I opened my mail and I saw a letter from Ozpin and he said that he wouldn't give volunteer credits so I don't know what to do and you might leave and OH GOD, DON'T HURT ME!". Velvet cowered behind Jaune. Jaune tried to take the opportunity to sort this out in a peaceful, logical way. Otherwise, he'd probably become a burn victim courtesy of Weiss' Myrtenaster.

Despite trying to remain calm, the glares Jaune was getting was causing his heart to beat faster. "I-I think we should take a vote. To see if we should continue or not.". Straightening his posture, he said, "Raise your hand If you want to continue.".

Ruby, Pyrtha, and Nora raised their hands. Jaune made sure to take count. Ruby looked over at those who didn't raise their hands, and her temper flared.

"Come on, you guys! We've made it this far! Why should we give up now?!", she exclaimed. This did little to persuade the others.

"Now, if you want to stop, raise your hand.", ordered Jaune. Weiss, Ren, Yang, and Blake raised their hands. At this sight, Ruby got out of her chair and walked over to them.

"Yang, Blake? Why are you giving up? Tell me, please!", Ruby asked, upset. Yang and Blake looked at each other.

"Well, I need to get back to work on my fan-fic. I haven't updated in a while. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't mind this musical. But, I would like to get back to something I have more control over.", was Blake's justification.

"Yeah, Ruby. I don't really MIND working, but if there's no reason to continue, then I don't see much of a point.", Yang explained.

Ruby then turned to Ren, but after giving it some brief thought, decided against asking him why he won't continue. Of course, Ren picked up on this based on her looks. As Ruby walked past, he wasn't sure if he was glad or annoyed that Ruby ignored his opinion.

Stopping at Weiss, Ruby kneeled down in front of her and grabbed her hands. "Why, Weiss? Why are you giving up?", Ruby asked. By now her voice was starting to waver. Weiss had a hard time looking her in the eye. Lowering her gaze, Weiss tried to justify her actions.

"Look, Ruby. I agreed to this project IF we got some credits. But, since that's gone out the window now, I…", Weiss drawled out. She began to hate herself for disappointing Ruby. But, she had her own principles too. "…I won't do this anymore.".

Ruby looked distraught at her words. Standing up, she announced. "I don't need this! I don't need ANY of you make this happen! I'll just do it MYSELF! You'll see!". She then stomped through the doors and out of the theater. Nobody had a real clue on what to do. Concerned looks were shared between everyone.

Eventually, all looks settled on Weiss. She felt like crap right now. After all that happened, all that they shared, Weiss still managed to push Ruby away. Giving a small huff of depression, Weiss stood up.

"I'll go get her.", she announced.

Walking to the doors, the Ice Princess followed the Scythe Wielder's trail.

* * *

><p>Weiss decided to check their dorm room first for Ruby. Seeing that the door was closed, she knocked on the door.<p>

"Go away.", came Ruby's muffled, dull reply. Weiss felt a little better that she found her.

"I'm coming in.", announced Weiss. Luckily, the door was unlocked. Opening the door, she saw Ruby rummaging through their work desk. Her back was turned to the door.

"Ruby, I—", Weiss was cut off when Ruby turned to face her. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been crying. Her brows were furrowed. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!", Ruby yelled at her. It was certainly out of character to raise her voice in anger, especially at Weiss.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, but this was the best way.", Weiss apologized.

"Oh, you're SORRY? Well, I'm pretty SORRY too! I'm SORRY that my DREAM wasn't good enough for you! I'm SORRY that all of you guys are against it! And I'm REALLY SORRY that I even CARED!", Ruby screamed, her face red. Tears were streaming down her face. She slumped into the desk chair.

"I'm sorry that I cared…", she mumbled through her tears. Weiss tried to reach out to Ruby, but she moved away from her touch. "_That stings._", thought Weiss.

"You know why I like musicals?", Ruby sighed. This got Weiss' attention.

"No, no I don't.", Weiss answered.

"Well, after my mom died, I wasn't ready to face the world. Sure, others tried to help, but nothing worked. But, one day, my uncle took me to the theater to cheer me up. There was a musical, and the lead had the most beautiful voice I ever heard.". Ruby paused to wipe away some tears.

"That voice reminded me of my mom's lullaby's she used to sing. After remembering her voice, I felt happier. That's why I like musicals.". Ruby swallowed. "They make me think of my mom.".

"Ruby, I had no idea—", Weiss tried to comfort, but was cut off by Ruby.

"No, Weiss. If nobody wants to help, they can just LEAVE.", spat out Ruby. She returned to the desk, pulling out some blank writing paper.

Weiss' voice was choked in her throat. Her voice cracked as she asked, "Do you want me to leave?".

Sighing, Ruby replied, "I don't know. I just don't know.". She didn't say a word after that, instead focusing on planning her own music show.

Weiss decided to sit on her bunk and stare at the bottom of Ruby's bed. How could she have known that Ruby would feel so betrayed at her decision? If she could, she would have taken her decision back. But, it was too late for that now. She had cast her lot with the others. Now, she had to face the consequences.

Ruby was feeling betrayed. She had placed her trust in her friends, and they had left her when she needed them. But, she felt that she could have predicted this. They had agreed for the team credits, after all. She inwardly kicked herself for not seeing it coming. And how could Weiss do this? She loved her! And she knew that she still did, but their relationship had gotten complicated. Ruby figured that even love couldn't overcome a person's nature completely. Tears fell on her paper as she was writing. This must have been similar to the pain that Weiss felt before her confession. She was so close, yet still too far from her dreams.

Neither Ruby nor Weiss had enough tears left for now. It was a feeling beyond tears that they felt.

* * *

><p>After that disaster of a meeting, Velvet retreated to her office. When she sat at her desk, she buried her face in her hands. Everything kept on getting in the way of progress. Low funding, bad acting, and now the crew leaving production. There was nothing left to do now. Picking up a pen and paper, she started writing a letter to the Administration Office. It read:<p>

_To the Administration Office:_

_Unfortunately, due to internal conflicts, the Theater Club regretfully announces that the scheduled musical will not be occurring. What we ask is for the reservation for the theater to be cleared up for other uses. Speaking on behalf of the club, I must declare this musical production to be a failure. I hope that communication between the club and the office will be continued in spite of this._

_Thanks,_

_Velvet Scarlatina, Theater Club President_

Sighing, Velvet overlooked her letter. She really had her back against the wall this time. Putting the letter in an envelope, she stood up to deliver the letter to the Administration Office mailbox. When she walked out of the office and down the hallway, she couldn't help but feel saddened at the outcome of the project. She had placed all of her hopes on this project. Now, she didn't know what the future of the club was anymore. She was sure that Jaune felt the same way. His face was the same as hers when the vote was made. All she could do now is hope and pray to whatever gods would listen that everything would turn out for the best.

* * *

><p>Jaune hadn't said a word ever since Team JNPR got back to their room. Now, he was just sitting on his bed, staring blankly ahead. His friends had taken notice and tried to cheer him up, but nothing was working.<p>

"Hey, Jaune! Look!", exclaimed Nora. She made a funny face, almost like she was trying to impersonate a fish. A frown crossed her face when she saw that it wasn't working.

"I don't see what the problem is. We don't need any more credits, anyway.", droned Ren in a flat voice. That got him glares from Pyrrha and Nora. His attitude on the vote really wasn't helping.

Since her repeated apologies didn't work on the way over to the room, Pyrrha tried to take a more physical approach. Sitting on Jaune's lap, she tried her best to sound seductive. "Come on, Jaune. Maybe some 'fun' would make you feel better.". She punctuated her offer by puffing out her chest a little. Ren rolled his eyes at her attempt. Nora, on the other hand, was perfectly fine with it.

Now getting desperate, Pyrrha tried licking Jaune's neck. Ren covered Nora's eyes and walked her over to the corner of the room, hoping she wouldn't get any ideas.. Even if his sweat tasted good, she knew Jaune's heart wouldn't be interested in doing anything. Pyrrha climbed off of Jaune's lap and sighed. She didn't know what would work.

Finally, Jaune spoke up. "I… just want to sleep.". He laid down on top of his bed covers and covered his face with a pillow. Clearly, he wasn't ready to face his friends just yet. Pyrrha decided to sit next to him, massaging his hand. Maybe this could all be sorted out tomorrow morning at breakfast.

She sincerely hoped, but Pyrrha knew that had a slim chance of working. Like veryone else, she had no idea what would happen.

* * *

><p><strong>And… more drama! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember, give me some reviews and tell me what you think! This is The Draigg, signing off for now!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Unwilling Solo Act

**It is the year 2014 of the A.D. Century. The Draigg put his fanfic on the internet, where stories are published and written… and die. Monty Oum owns RWBY, which this fanfic is based on. The fanfic, which is regularly updated, has released another chapter. People are intrigued, at the story being written in the name of entertainment. It has been a few weeks since the story began. For now, the story is at… a stalemate.**

Ruby didn't speak to her teammates, even when Yang and Blake arrived back at Team RWBY's room. That night felt a little colder, without Ruby to sleep at Weiss' side. Weiss was sure that Ruby felt the same way. I was hard on both of them. Both still loved each other, even though their trust was now strained. There was little sleep to be had between the couple.

The next morning was only slightly better. Even though Ruby now acknowledged her teammate's existence, she still didn't say anything. It was as if she had no words left for them. At breakfast, Weiss tried to get Ruby to eat, but that was an uphill battle. She only was able to force feed her a piece of toast. That was only because Ruby had to take a break from scribbling something in her workbook.

Team JNPR was having a similar issue with Jaune. Even though he was talking with the others, everyone could easily tell his heart wasn't in any conversation they were having. He could only mumble a few answers at best. Pyrrha kept up her futile attempt to cheer him up, adopting some Nora-like tactics. But, even that wasn't working. He didn't laugh when she put straws up her nose, or when she made farting noises when people waked by the table. Pyrrha was desperate to get HER Jaune back, and not have this empty shell. She was close to begging, which she didn't do often.

Eventually, breakfast ended. Having to get to Team RWBY's classes, Weiss dragged Ruby out of the cafeteria doors. Jaune just shuffled his way to Team JNPR's classes. At least he was more mobile than Ruby.

Getting through classes was rough on everybody. In Weapon Maintenance 380, Yang kept on passing notes to Ruby, who was still writing in her work book. Ruby barely read the notes. They were mostly filled with bad jokes, like 'What do you call a group of prosthetic limbs? An arm-y!'. Most of the time, this got a laugh out of Ruby. Not today, though. Ruby was in her own little world.

Weiss kept on sitting next to her in all of their classes, trying to help her take notes. Ruby didn't care. It was almost if Weiss didn't exist to Ruby. Whenever Weiss slipped some notes to her, Ruby would just give a grunt in response and keep on working in her book. Nobody had any clue what she was writing, since she would close her notes when someone tried to look.

Blake had tried sending her sketches of things Ruby liked, like cookies or roses. Ruby couldn't care less. Just giving them a quick glance, she tossed them aside to keep on writing.

Everyone was hurting. If it wasn't concern, then it was despair. If the heart of their team was lost to them, what did they have left? It was like the bonds they had were falling away into a void. No matter what their thoughts on team structure was, all had to admit that Ruby was the emotional core. If she was hurt, so was everyone else.

Team JNPR was dealing with Jaune's mental absence differently. For one, Ren didn't even try to help cheer up Jaune. When Nora and Pyrrha called him out on it, he pointed out that this was an internal issue, and that only Jaune could choose to be happy and get over his issues. Even if he sounded like a jerk, they had to admit Ren had a point. Regardless, Nora and Pyrrha still tried.

Nora tried making funny faces at him, or pulling pranks on Ren. She thought that the tack on Ren's seat would at least get a laugh or two, but she was wrong. The only response she got from Jaune was a blank, hollow look. He didn't even crack a smile.

Pyrrha knew her apologies fell on deaf ears. So, she tried to be flirty. But, unbuttoning her blouse a little didn't do anything. Neither did the notes saying that she still loved him regardless, and describing what she wanted to do with him. Much like Nora, Pyrrha didn't get much of a reaction. But, thinking things through, she developed a plan.

Jaune didn't object when Pyrrha offered to treat him at the snack bar. While they walked in silence along the brick path, Pyrrha was preparing herself mentally. This plan was to do or die to her. She decided to take a detour through the gardens. Unthinkingly, Jaune followed her. Eventually, she stopped at a secluded bench where the remains of the hedge maze were.

"Want to sit?", Pyrrha offered. Jaune nodded and sat down. Taking the initiative, Pyrrha moved in on him. Straddling Jaune, she started to unbutton her blouse. Now this got a reaction out of Jaune.

"Wait, wait Pyrrha!", he objected. She didn't stop, completely unbuttoning her shirt, revealing her crimson lace bra. She started to lick off his nervous sweat. If this wasn't a plan to help Jaune, Pyrrha would undoubtedly have gone to town on him already. She was very much tempted too, but her self-restraint overpowered her impulses.

Pushing Pyrrha off of his lap, Jaune continued to object. "Pyrrha, just stop. Please.", he said, sounding defeated. Sighing, Pyrrha sat next to him.

"What is it, Jaune?", Pyrrha asked. She started to button up her blouse.

"I'm… just not in the mood.", he tried to justify. However, the look Pyrrha gave him showed that she didn't believe him. "You can completely read me, can't you?", observed Jaune.

"I know a thing or two.", Pyrrha said. "So, I'll ask again: What's up with you?".

"I… just really need to think things through. I mean, I really thought I was helping my friends. But, all I did was hurt them in the end. Hell, Velvet can't even bring herself to talk to us.". Jaune ran a hand through his hair. "Can't you imagine how I feel?", he asked Pyrrha.

"Of course! You know I love you, right?", she responded.

Jaune let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah. Of all the things you are, subtle isn't one of them", he sourly noted.

"Then you should know that I can feel your pain, too.", Pyrrha explained. She put her arm around Jaune.

Jaune had to admit he hadn't thought of that before. Was he hurting his friends more if he did nothing at all? "But… All I did is hurt my friends! It would be better if I didn't try to do anything. That way, I can't harm them!", he declared.

Pyrrha sighed. "You're our leader, Jaune. No matter what you may think, your friends still need you. Without a leader, all of us are just as aimless as you are now.", she explained. She hoped that her words were getting through to him.

"So… you forgive me for what I did?", Jaune asked.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You tried your best in a tough position. Nobody can fault you for doing your job.", comforted Pyrrha. Her plan was working!

Jaune threw up his head and gave a quick laugh. "I guess I was acting a little loopy, wasn't I?", he realized. He had to admit, Pyrrha was right. He tried to help his friends! That was all that mattered. Wallowing in self-pity wouldn't change what had already happened. What was important was that he needed to help his team with the results.

"Thanks, Pyrrha.", Jaune offered. But, he couldn't help but ask, "Wait, how far were you willing to go with…". He mimed shaking his chest with his hands.

Pyrrha couldn't help but smirk. "All the way.", she said with a grin. She straddled Jaune again.

"Your sweat tastes good.", she growled in his ear. Jaune thought that was a little weird. Oh well, everyone has their kinks, he decided.

As Pyrrha started to take off her top again, she couldn't help but think, "_Just according to keikaku*._".

As Jaune and Pyrrha were enjoying themselves in the hedge maze, none of the other students were very surprised at what they heard as they walked past. Sure, they heard a few predatory growls and howls, but that was nothing new. In fact, this was around the twentieth time this week someone used the hedge maze in that way.

Man, the janitor sure had his work cut out for him. He would need the hose again.

Going back to Team RWBY, they were currently all gathered in their room. Yang was trying to get knots out of her hair. Since that was a hard task, she was currently on her third brush. Blake was typing away on her laptop, updating her fan fiction. Weiss was trying to study, but she kept on being distracted by what Ruby was doing. She was listening to music on her bunk, looking like she was focusing. Occasionally either nodding or shaking her head, she would then make notes in her notebook. It dawned on Weiss that she was working on her own musical type of show.

Suddenly, Ruby slammed her book shut and hopped off of her bed. She looked rather proud of herself. "Okay!", she announced. The team looked in her direction.

"I've completed my musical. By myself!", she beamed. The others wondered where THIS Ruby was all day. It seemed like she had snapped out of her funk almost in the instant she finished her musical. It was jarring.

"Uhh, Ruby? Are you alright?", Yang asked, weirded out by her sister's behavior.

"Of course! I'm better than alright!", she announced.

"Are you sure?", Weiss asked from her desk.

"You're taking this well, all of the sudden.", observed Blake.

Ruby completely ignored Weiss' question and responded to Blake instead. "Naturally! I realized that I could do this myself!", she grinned.

"Okay… good for you then.", Weiss supported Ruby. Now Ruby turned to Weiss.

"I'm glad you feel that way, WEISS.", she thanked. There was a little resentment behind her name, Weiss noticed. Then, the thought hit her: she wasn't completely over the musical being cancelled. In fact, she was just coving her depression with work. That reminded Weiss of her dad. Now THIS upset her.

"Ruby, I think we should talk about this.", suggested Weiss. Ruby brushed off her request.

"No, we don't need to. I'm SURE it'll go fine.", she said, with a hint of resentment.

Weiss cringed inwardly. If anything, Ruby's behavior might make her situation even worse. She tried to think of a plan. Something to help Ruby feel better. Then, it hit her. But, she would have for Ruby to fall asleep. She couldn't witness what she was going to do. Offhandedly, she wondered how Team JNPR was dealing with Jaune.

Speaking of Team JNPR, the now happy couple of Jaune and Pyrrha waltzed through the door. Pyrrha looked like she could just start flying, she was so happy. Jaune was chugging a bottle of tea he had bought at the snack bar. They were glad to share everything together. However, Nora and Ren thought less about that sentiment.

"Eww!", cried Nora, curling her nose.

"You two. Take a shower. Now.", Ren ordered.

In Ren's defense, the couple smelled incredibly bad. Due to Pyrrha's kink, Jaune just reeked of sweat. Pyrrha smelled with the unholy mixture of various fluids, Jaune's sweat only being a small part of the stench. Plus, they both had various twigs and leaves in their hair, in addition to the dirt that they were coated in. Maybe Pyrrha was really into it, but that didn't mean the others had to suffer for it.

"Okay, Ren.", Pyrrha agreed, grabbing Jaune's arm.

"Separately.", clarified Ren.

For once in her life, Pyrrha pouted. "You're no fun.", she protested, before walking into the bathroom.

Once he heard the shower start, Ren walked over to where Jaune decided to sit. Ren offered his hand in a high five. Confused, Jaune returned it. Then, Ren walked over to Nora, with his hand outstretched. Pouting, Nora pulled out twenty lien and handed it to Ren. Nodding, he put the money in his wallet. Seeing Jaune's confused expression, Ren decided to explain.

"Nora and I had a bet. I said that you two would hook up this month. Nora had the next month.", Ren said.

"Yeah, there goes my candy money.", complained Nora.

"You don't need any more sugar.", Ren said in an offhand monotone. Clearly, this was an old argument.

Deflecting Ren's argument, Nora asked, "What was it like? Was like when I saw Ren—". Her mouth was quickly covered by Ren.

"He doesn't need to answer that.", Ren quickly got out.

Finishing his tea, Jaune said, "All I can tell you that a lot of sweat was involved.".

Ren smirked. "I knew it.", he bragged. That got him weird looks. How had he come to that conclusion? Yet again, maybe it was better not to know.

Letting go of Nora's mouth, Ren continued to talk. "Anyway, congratulations. Now, don't you two do anything later. We barely get enough sleep as it is.".

Pyrrha then walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in her pajamas. Jaune took this as his queue to take a shower too. Nora gave Pyrrha a thumbs up when Pyrrha walked by. Pyrrha gave a confused smile in return.

Unknown to everyone, a lot happened that night anyway.

Midnight. Most of Team RWBY was deep asleep. Weiss was the only exception. Now was the time to act out her plan. Creeping out of her bed, Weiss slipped over to the desk, where Ruby put her musical book. Opening the book, Weiss took out a pen. She would have to do this now. Using her off hand, as not to reveal who did it, Weiss started to edit Ruby's musical plan. She went over what songs Ruby planned to use, and added her thoughts to the notes.

Time passed. Weiss rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. It read one thirty AM. Hoping that her idea would work well, Weiss closed the book and put it away. Sneaking back to her bed, Weiss settled under her sheets. She hoped that this would help Ruby, as a penance for disappointing her. Weiss closed her eyes and fell asleep.

She would have to wait for the morning to see the results.

**Man, that Gundam style author's note was wordy. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Be sure to tell me what you think in the reviews, please! Who will survive until the next chapter? This is The Draigg, signing off on this order.**

***Translator's Note: Keikaku means plan.**

**(Stealth Edit: Made slight adjustments to fit with later stories)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Editor's Notes

**Hey! Listen! It's The Draigg here again, with another chapter! Now, before you start reading, you should probably know that Monty Oum owns RWBY, not I. Also, I don't own any other media mentioned. Plus, read the news about this story in the below author's notes. Now, with that out of the way, let's do this!**

* * *

><p>Weiss was confused. It was Saturday by now, and Ruby hadn't even mentioned the notes that were made on her music show. She would have thought that Ruby would have at least asked who wrote all of those notes and annotations. But no, she just kept on working as if nothing had happened. This was utterly confusing! Weiss thought that her plan to get back on Ruby's good side would definitely work.<p>

Watching Ruby lie on her bed all day, listening to her music, Weiss couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking of. She was still writing in her book, she noticed. Seeing an opportunity, Weiss walked up to Ruby's bunk. She got Ruby's attention by touching her shoulder. Ruby took off her headphones at her touch.

"How are things coming along?", Weiss asked, even though she already knew the answer. She glanced over Ruby's shoulder, trying to look at the notes she had made.

"Not bad. I think I've gotten the hang of this.", Ruby answered quickly.

"What are these?", Weiss asked, pointing to her own hand written notes.

Ruby gave a strange look, and quickly turned away. "They're just notes that were made…", she mumbled.

"But… they're not in your handwriting.", observed Weiss. She didn't know how much more clear she could be with this, short of just flat out telling her what she did.

"Umm…". Ruby completely ignored Weiss' statement and put her headphones back on. Turning her music back up, she went back to working in her book.

Now this was starting to upset Weiss. Just… what the hell? Ruby clearly knew something was up, yet she refused to comment on it! Even when it was clear Weiss wanted to talk about it, Ruby just brushed her off! Worst of all, Weiss had no idea if her plan was working or not! Was she glad for the help? Did she hate her notes? Weiss would be glad if she got ANY answers, even if they were only small ones. Frustrated, Weiss sat at her desk, hoping to distract herself with some homework due next week. If the notes were going to be brought up, then Ruby would be the one to do it.

* * *

><p>The person known as Ruby Rose was many things. Young, loving, strong, and a possible diabetic, given the amount of cookies she eats. But, most importantly, she was currently confused. No, she wasn't confused at the notes that she had written. She was confused at the notes that she DIDN'T write. Despite how she often presented herself, Ruby wasn't that dumb. She figured that Weiss wrote those notes. Even if the notes weren't in her regular handwriting, Ruby could still tell who wrote it, based on the language used. Only Weiss would use the words 'acceptable', 'adjust vocal pitch here', and 'massage diaphragm before signing' all in the same song description.<p>

What Ruby was really confused on was why Weiss would want to do this. She confessed her crush on her, and then helped to cancel the musical! It was quite the emotional whiplash to have in one week. And now she was trying to help her again? What was even going through her head? Was Weiss felling guilty? If she was, she should just come out and say it! Ruby would at least have someone be honest with her, rather than muddy the waters of this issue. It was worse not knowing anything than knowing the truth!

As Ruby kept on looking over the notes, she wondered, "_Oh, Weiss. What's going on with you?_". She hated having her emotions messed with. She was born with a big heart, and this whole thing with Weiss just hurt her. How can someone she loves be the cause so much love and hurt? Inwardly, Ruby sighed. "_Nobody is perfect._", she acknowledged. If Weiss would just be straightforward, they could start to put this whole mess behind them.

On the matter of the notes themselves, they were pretty useful. They told her how to properly warm up for singing, where to hold notes, and, if the song itself was a little iffy, would offer a different recommendation. Weiss clearly knew her stuff. Then why would she just not help her directly? AAARRRGGHHH. All of this thinking was giving Ruby a headache.

Ruby hopped off of her bed. She really could use a sugar break right about now.

Weiss turned her attention the thump she heard behind her. She saw Ruby put on her shoes. It looked like she was ready to go somewhere.

"Going somewhere?", asked Weiss, trying not to sound too interested.

"Oh, I'm just gonna go get a snack.", Ruby replied offhandedly, while looking for spare change. Weiss observed her look for money. Then, a thought occurred to her.

"You don't have any lien, do you?", noted Weiss.

Ruby gave up looking for change under the dresser and stood up. "No, no I don't.", she admitted. She was surprised when Weiss grabbed her by the hand and started walking to the door.

"Wha-what are you doing?", sputtered Ruby.

"Come on. I'll pay for you.", Weiss offered. She knew Ruby was in no position to say no._ As_ long as ice cream or cookies were on the line, Ruby might as well be putty in Weiss' hands. Man, Ruby's hand felt so soft and warm right now… "_Focus, Weiss._", she thought. Maybe some sugar would help this awkward stalemate along.

Ruby, on the other hand, was a little relieved that she could get her sugar fix. But, she couldn't help but feel that Weiss had an ulterior motive for treating her. "_Oh, well. Maybe we can actually talk about something._", hoped Ruby. After all, Weiss and sweets SHOULD be a winning combination.

* * *

><p>The Beacon Snack Bar had a strict profit margin. The fact that students liked junk food was the only reason it was kept open in the first place. Fortunately, most of their margin was met by a certain Ruby Rose. Because of her, they were often sold out of any kind of cookie, whether it was shortbread or chocolate chip. This left the Finances Office happy, and the Medical Office baffled. Whenever Ruby went in for a routine checkup, the attending medical staff were genuinely surprised that she didn't gain too much weight or have diabetes. If they weren't held responsible to certain rules in their contracts, the nurses would have started a betting pool on her by now.<p>

Anyway, let's get back on track here. Currently, Ruby was making Weiss' wallet lighter by having her buy up an absurd amount of cookies and cream ice cream. She bought so much, that it actually would have been cheaper for her just to eat some ice dust instead. Weiss really tried to ignore the cashier's satisfied grin. Maybe she could officially declare this a donation to Beacon Academy on the Schnee Dust Company's behalf.

Helping Ruby carry the large amount of ice cream, Weiss led her over to a nearby table. Ruby began to scarf down the ice cream at an incredible rate. Watching her, Weiss couldn't help but be reminded of nature documentaries, like when a Roc would capture and devour it's prey. It was almost impressive. Ruby must have been using her semblance on her arms. That was the only way imaginable to justify Ruby shoveling the ice cream in her mouth that fast.

Before long, Ruby was finished with her ice cream. It was cookies AND ice cream. How could she NOT devour it? It was so good, Ruby forgot to have a brain freeze. Wait? Brain freeze? Oh n—

"OOOwwieee!", Ruby cried, clutching her head. The brain freeze had caught up to her.

Sighing, Weiss could only watch as Ruby started to the table in pain. She knew this would happen. Honestly, she would be more surprised if this didn't happen. Ruby continued to writhe in pain. After another minute, Ruby sat straight up, no longer moaning.

"Okay, I'm fine now.", she announced. Of course Ruby would just snap back abruptly. This gave Weiss some hope that Ruby would accept what she had to say.

"Ruby…", said Weiss, getting Ruby's attention. "I uh… wrote those notes. In your book.", she confessed.

Ruby let out a sigh and slumped a little in her chair. "Yeah, I kinda knew that…", Ruby also admitted.

Now, this hit Weiss right in the heart. She knew she wrote those notes? How?

"H-how did you figure it out?", was Weiss' surprised question.

"Weiss, even if you hide your handwriting, you can't hide your words.", explained Ruby as she leaned on the table. "You sound almost the same as a dust instruction pamphlet.".

Weiss almost smiled at that memory. Sure, she was being mean, but that was also the first time Weiss saw how naïve and pure Ruby was. Instead, she tried to focus on the current discussion.

"But why haven't you said anything? Why?". Weiss now needed some answers. Her plan was now starting to confuse even her.

Ruby swallowed before talking. "Because… because… because I don't know what you're doing! First you say you love me, and then you stop working on the musical! You're really confusing my emotions!", Ruby exclaimed. Luckily, nobody really heard that outburst. The Snack Bar was deserted at this time of the day. It was because there were some movies playing in the theater today.

"Ruby, I know I can't take back what I did. And I'm REALLY sorry if I hurt you. But you can't solve anything without talking to me! So, PLEASE, talk to me!", pleaded Weiss. She grabbed Ruby's hand and interlocked their fingers.

"Weiss… It really hurt when you did that… I just don't know what to say… I don't know what to feel…", Ruby mumbled.

"Just say that you love me! Please! I need to hear it!", Weiss begged. She lowered her head. "Please… love me…". When Ruby didn't answer, tears began to fall down Weiss' face.

Ruby couldn't answer. Her mind and heart were awash with conflicting emotions. Her mind was telling her to say no, since her perceived betrayal really hurt. Her heart was saying to forgive her, since she really did love her.

Weiss took Ruby's prolonged silence badly. Crying harder now, she dropped out of her chair and rested on her knees. Still holding Ruby's hand, Weiss continued to plead and beg. "Please! Nobody else cares! Only you do! Love me! Love me!", she cried.

Weiss' words broke through Ruby's heart. From what she heard, Weiss wasn't happy with herself. And, being that she was the only person that currently loves her, it wouldn't be fair for Ruby to deny Weiss. Because, no matter how much hurt she felt, her big heart still held enough love to overcome it.

Weiss now feared the worse. Ruby wasn't saying anything. If she didn't love her after what she did, her life would be over. She would throw herself off of the top of Beacon Tower. Nobody would care that she died. In fact, people might rejoice at her passing. She was scum. She was garbage. She was—

A warm hug surrounded Weiss. All of her fears melted away in Ruby's embrace. She forgave her! She really did love her! It was okay!

It was okay!

"Silly…", came Ruby's voice, muffled by her embrace. "I could never really hate you.". She let Weiss go to get a better look at her face. Ruby flashed a cheeky grin. "That just isn't me.". Suddenly, Weiss' lips covered her own.

Weiss never thought so much love could be expressed through a kiss. She thought wrong. This wasn't a kiss. This was a promise. A promise that nothing would be bad. A promise that Ruby would never let go. A promise of love.

When the kiss broke away, Ruby caught her breath. Her head was spinning. "So, what do we do now?", she asked in a mental haze.

"We can do whatever we want to.", replied a blissful Weiss. Both of them stood up. "We're partners, right?".

"Right.", Ruby said. A dumb smile was plastered all over her face. Glancing around, her eyes landed on a nearby bulletin board. "_That's right! There's movies in the theater today!_", she remembered, looking at the movie announcement. "Want to go see some flicks?", she suggested.

Grinning, Weiss replied, "Sure. It's a date!".

Hand in hand, Ruby and Weiss made their way towards the theater.

* * *

><p>The movie 'A Were-Grimm in Vacuo' wasn't what Weiss had in mind for their first date. But, it would have to suffice. Even if she wanted to see a different movie, she couldn't afford tickets at a normal theater. Ruby had blown most of Weiss' lien on ice cream, and then spent the rest on several sodas at a nearby vending machine. It was a miracle that she didn't go to the bathroom yet. Ruby was on her fifth grape soda by now, even though the movie has only been on for an hour.<p>

Weiss never had much of a taste for these types of movies. Why weren't they showing more all ages friendly material? On screen, a Were-Grimm was currently stalking it's prey through some dark alleys. Weiss didn't want to see this. She much rather preferred a romantic comedy movie, or barring that, a documentary. She knew for a FACT that there were some interesting documentaries on dust processin—

Oh gods! One of the hunters just had his throat ripped out! Eww! Weiss wanted to look away, but her eyes were glued to the screen for some reason. Ruby, on the other hand, was having a blast. She had accidentally crushed her soda in her fist in excitement. She had a glint in her eyes seeing the other hunters fire uncut, silver coated dust crystals at the beast. Clearly, this was her type of movie.

"Ruby, I don't think—EPP!", squeaked Weiss as a hunter was impaled on the creature's claws. Her cry fell on deaf ears. Ruby was WAY too invested with what was happening on screen.

"Yeah! Kick that monster's butt!", Ruby yelled as the lead hunter managed to wound the monster.

Several voices chided her. "Quiet!".

Ruby quickly apologized and returned her attention to the movie. Now on the screen, the last two hunters, the grizzled leader and the rookie, managed to force the Were-Grimm into a retreat. The police had arrived, but they didn't believe the hunter's stories. Instead, they were hauled off to the police station for questioning.

"Oh, come on! You have to believe them! He was RIGHT THERE!", Ruby yelled at the screen. Once again, more voices told her to shut up. If Weiss wasn't Ruby's girlfriend, she would have yelled at her too. Instead, she settled on face palming. So much for their first date. If Ruby shouted more advice at the screen, they would undoubtedly be kicked out.

Weiss had no idea how right she was.

* * *

><p>One their way back from the theater, Ruby's adrenaline was still pumping form the movie.<p>

"I mean, did you SEE those moves! Man, that backflip was so COOL!", Ruby gushed.

In response, Weiss let out a tired sigh. "You know, it would have been better if we weren't kicked out in the middle of the climax.", she noted.

More specifically, the pair was forced to leave when Ruby tried to mimic what she was seeing in the movie. The audience members really didn't appreciate her stepping on their heads.

"Whatever! It was still cool!", Ruby continued to act like a real fangirl.

"So, it IS getting pretty late… I think we should turn in for the day.", Weiss suggested. It was already late in the afternoon. The sun would be setting in a little bit. It would probably be nearly down when they made it back to their room.

* * *

><p>Ruby opened the door to the dorm room. Yang and Blake were nowhere to be found. This wasn't anything new. More often than not, they went in to Vale proper on a shopping trip, and spent the night in a hotel so they could do more shopping in the morning. Or, that's what the notes they usually left behind said. It was clear to Ruby and Weiss that no shopping was being done. The stench on their clothes told them enough about what they were really doing. Plus, they rarely brought back anything, other than some groceries.<p>

Seeing a note on the desk, Weiss read it aloud:

_Yo, Lovebirds:_

_We went into Vale to do some more shopping. Don't wait up all night for us to come back. You'll get to see more of my beautiful face tomorrow, so don't worry. We might even bring back something for you two!_

_Totes peace,_

_Yang_

"Whatever.", dismissed Ruby. As long that kept the pair from doing anything depraved around her, Blake could take Yang anywhere. Weiss felt a similar sentiment.

Both of them started to get ready for bed. Stripping off her dress and putting on her pajamas, Ruby asked Weiss, "So, what do couples DO, exactly?".

Weiss had a hard time coming up with an all-around answer. "Well… they do plenty of stuff. Like, sharing a bed or something.", she said, finding a response.

At her words, Ruby blushed. "Can we… do that? Tonight?", she asked. She was acting a little timid. This was the first time she volunteered for doing this.

Weiss swallowed hard. "O-of course.", affirmed Weiss, who also started to blush. After turning off the lights, she climbed into her bunk, Ruby following after her.

They managed to get into a comfortable position. Both of them felt really warm, sharing their body heat. It felt nice, considering that nights could get a little cold at Beacon. It was a downside of being located near the coastal mountains of Vale. Their mouths were so close together.

Both didn't even think of sleeping. The pair was now really conscious of what they were doing. It was if they weren't used to their bodies. Being entangled in your new lover's limbs would do that. It was a natural assumption to make.

Sure, a lot of things were to be done tonight, but getting sleep wasn't one of them.

* * *

><p><strong>And, there you have it! Another chapter, done! Now, for some news. At the suggestion of my editor, JimboYokimbo, I changed the rating for this story to M. That way, I could write more without dancing around certain subjects. I won't go back and fix parts of the story, since I feel they still work as is. Please stay with the story, and tell me what you think in the reviews. This is The Draigg, signing off on this author's note.<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Passion Play

**Hey everyone, it's The Draigg here again. You already probably knew that Monty Oum owns RWBY, but I bet you didn't know what I've written in this chapter. Get ready for some zest from a certain citrusy fruit. Hopefully, it won't be poorly written. Without further ado, let's start!**

* * *

><p>Weiss and Ruby couldn't sleep. It felt nice that they were trying to act like a couple, but the problem is that they had NO idea what that entailed. Was there certain etiquette to dating? Was there a time limit to hugging? What was even acceptable to do in public?<p>

All of these questions raced through Ruby's head as she cuddled with Weiss. She had no idea that being in love would be this confusing. Plus, the awkward silence was making her nervous. She had no idea what she should do. Maybe Weiss would know.

"Hey, Weiss.", Ruby whispered, hoping to get her attention. Weiss moved her gaze up to Ruby's.

"What is it?", she asked in a low voice. Even though nobody else was in the room, she still tried to be quiet. She was afraid that their intimacy would be broken if she spoke louder.

"What do we do… you know… here?". Ruby didn't mean for her question to be so… not understandable. However, she didn't really know how else to ask that question. Naturally, Weiss had no idea what she had meant.

"What?", Weiss asked for clarification. She could add vague to the list of things that Ruby was.

"You know… we're here in bed. What do we do now?", Ruby asked, sounding a little clearer this time. Now Weiss got what she had meant.

"Well, you can do a lot of stuff in bed.", explained Weiss, as if she was talking to a small child. She wasn't exactly far off. Ruby had as much knowledge of couples as a ten year old would. Weiss continued, "You can talk, you can read, you can sleep, you can…".

Weiss had intentionally drifted off at the end of her sentence, not wanting to go further. She knew what she wanted to say next. Sex, making love, banging, whatever you would want to call it. But, Weiss was a little afraid to bring it up. She couldn't help but remember Yang's threats. She knew exactly what the boisterous blonde could do. And she really liked having her ribcage IN her body, thank you very much.

Unfortunately for her, Ruby didn't drop her curiosity. "And then what?", she asked.

"We umm… ahh… canmakelove.", mumbled Weiss quickly. She really hoped to end this conversation. But, given that the universe had a funny, if somewhat depraved sense of humor, Ruby just wouldn't let the subject drop.

"Ohhh…", Ruby realized. A blush crossed over her face. "Should… should we do that now?", she asked, a little nervous. While she wasn't against the thought of having sex with Weiss, she really didn't know how to really go about it. All the knowledge she really had was either from classes, or the pamphlets Velvet handed out at her PSA a few months ago.

* * *

><p>To give a good example of what was in the safe sex pamphlet that Velvet personally wrote and handed out at her PSA, here's a small excerpt. Unfortunately, the pictures mentioned can't be provided, as the originals were lost in the ensuing riot:<p>

* * *

><p><em>You see, 'advanced relationships' is a lot like the animal kingdom. Think of a man as a snake, and lady as a clam. Now, the 'snake' may want to 'enjoy' the 'clam', but shoving it's 'head' in the 'clam's' 'shell'. The snake would use it's 'tongue' to 'feel' the 'clam', maybe moving it around it's 'salty' 'rim', or perhaps 'feeling' out it's 'pearl'.<em>

(There is a poorly drawn diagram of a snake and clam here. For being a lover of the arts, Velvet sure sucks at actually making it.)

_Now, the 'tongue' of the 'snake' may feel good. In fact, it may feel great. But, it may lead to a few problems. Even if the 'snake' and 'clam' 'love' each other with the 'snake' using some his 'skin', the 'clam' may get pregnant. This might hurt the relationship, since the 'snake' and 'clam' are still young enough not to understand how to 'hatch' 'eggs' properly._

(There's another bad drawing here. Maybe Velvet should actually take an art class before she claims to be an artist.)

_Or, because the 'clam' actually has a 'snake', the 'clam' may get a big head and brag to other, single 'clams' on how great 'snakes' are. But, maybe the single 'clam' doesn't NEED a 'snake'. Maybe the 'clam' is fine on her own. Maybe the 'clam' is just waiting for the right 'snake'. It's important to consider these possible scenarios. Annoying, mean 'clams' named Jessica should take note of this. Just because the 'clam' had her 'pearl' 'enjoyed' frequently, doesn't mean that the 'clam' has any right to brag. Also, the 'clam' should stop making mean jokes about her classmate 'clam', just because she saw the other 'clam' do something only that ONE TIME. The 'clam' was only doing something on her own time, and she didn't know the 'rock' to her 'home' was open a little. The mean 'clam' had no right to watch the other 'clam' do her 'clam' related things. That mean 'clam' should stop spreading those mean rumors to other 'fish'._

_Regardless, this PSA on the subject of safe 'relationships' will hopefully educate you, the audience member, to be safe and careful while with your 'snake' and/or 'clam'._

* * *

><p>This hand-out was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Velvet's play. Jaune really regretted not saying something about the pamphlets when her first saw them. It should be no wonder that the audience tore apart the theater after watching part of the PSA. It should also be no surprise that Ruby repressed most of those memories of the actual play.<p>

* * *

><p>Now it was Weiss' turn to blush. Before, all of her liaisons with Ruby happened in her dreams, often with embarrassing results. But now she had an actual chance with her? Her throat went dry with the thought. And was it getting way too hot in here, or was it just her?<p>

"W-well… we CAN… but do you really WANT to?", she asked. Yang said that as long as Ruby was ready, she wouldn't kill Weiss if they advanced their relationship. Regardless, Weiss' nerves were starting to fail her. Her nervousness was starting to show.

Ruby played with her fingers. Because of her positioning, Weiss could feel her hand movements. "H-how do we… you know… d-do it?", Ruby stuttered. Seeing her partner also be anxious calmed Weiss a little. They could figure this stuff out together.

"I… I don't know…", Weiss admitted. For how much she claimed to have superior intelligence, she really didn't have a clue on what to do here. She couldn't remember what she did in her dreams, all she knew was that it felt good. Weiss scratched her head, thinking.

"We can… hmmm….", she thought out loud. Man, relationships were confusing! Then, an idea hit her.

"Maybe you could use your hands.", Weiss suggested. That's the best she could really come up with.

Now it was Ruby's turn to feel confused. Even if Weiss suggested something, she still had no clue on how to do it. Without having a plan, Ruby moved her hand under the hem of Weiss' nightgown. She traced her hand in small circles over the front of Weiss' panties.

An electric shiver went up Weiss' spine. So THIS is what must have happened in her dreams! Now, all that embarrassment seemed worth it. Now she KNEW this is what she wanted.

Weiss gulped before speaking. "Can you… please… do m-more?", she pleaded. Ruby's hand felt like it was meant to be there, like a missing piece of a puzzle. In response to Weiss' request, Ruby moved her hand faster.

Now Weiss began to unconsciously move her hips against Ruby's hand. She didn't care if this was wrong, she wanted this. She needed this. Allowing her lust to take control, she grabbed Ruby's wrist and began to move it rougher than before.

Ruby felt a little awkward when Weiss grabbed her. She had never seen this side of her before! It was a little odd for her to witness. Now she could feel Weiss' panties become damp under her touch. Is this what was supposed to happen? Whatever it was, Weiss really seemed to enjoy it. Her expression told Ruby more than what her words could.

Continuing to guide Ruby's hand, Weiss lowered her head in Ruby's shoulder. Her moans were dampened by Ruby's tank top. Soon, Ruby's pace quickened with Weiss' guidance. Now, she was just rubbing her palm repeatedly against Weiss' underwear covered clitoris. Weiss' cream colored hips moved faster against Ruby's soft hand.

Suddenly, Weiss' voice returned to her through her whimpers. "Hnf… please… please… hnf… hunf… PleaseeEEE!", she squeaked. Weiss was now on the edge. To Ruby, her hand was now covered in Weiss' nectar, or whatever it was. But, if this is what sex was, then she really didn't mind.

Weiss felt like she was ready to melt. Wait! She couldn't just yet! She needed to do this with Ruby! However, she couldn't move her body, no matter what her mind told it to do. It had become as stiff as a board. This was it!

"Ru... Rub… RUBY! I LOVE YOU! HHHIIIAAHHHhhhh…!", Weiss cried as she came. Her body moved in small jerks as her come completely drenched her underwear and nightgown. Her nectar started to pool slightly on her sheets. A small bead of drool formed at the corner of Weiss' mouth. Weiss didn't care. All she felt in that moment was Ruby's touch. That was all she ever needed.

Whatever she had done had worked, Ruby guessed. Now, she could feel Weiss' wetness all over her hand. Curious, she sniffed it. It smelled kind of weird. But, if Weiss made it, it couldn't be too bad.

Weiss continued to ride the aftershock of her orgasm. Her body was trembling. She couldn't believe that her old self might have missed out on this. Raising a trembling hand to Ruby's head, she pulled her in for a deep, deep kiss.

Ruby couldn't help but be surprised at Weiss' kiss. She could just feel all the love Weiss had for in that kiss. However, when the kiss broke away, Ruby was even more surprised when she heard Weiss sniffling. Wait! Did she do something wrong!?

"I-I'm sorry Weiss… If I did something b-bad, then I'm SO sorry! I'm sorry!", Ruby profusely apologized. Maybe this wasn't the way sex worked!

Hearing Ruby's concern, Weiss let out a tear filled chuckle. "N-no Ruby. *sniff* I-I'm just crying because… *sniff* I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!", she admitted. She pulled Ruby in a tight hug. "I love you so much! Thank you! Thanks for everything!".

Then it hit Ruby. These weren't tears of pain! These were tears of happiness! She returned the tight hug. Holding Weiss close, she could feel her crying slow down and her breathing settle into a rhythm after a few minutes. Apparently, whatever Ruby did made Weiss really tired.

Letting Weiss go a little, Ruby gazed at her sleeping lover's face. Even with her hair undone and some sweat drying on her forehead, Weiss still looked as beautiful as ever. Her silver hair glowed in the soft moonlight. In that moment, Ruby felt that this day couldn't get any better. Closing her eyes as well, Ruby cuddled with Weiss.

Tonight's sleep was only reserved for the best of dreams.

* * *

><p>Sunday. A day traditionally associated by students with last ditch essay writings and dull, non-denominational services held at the Activity Center at eight o'clock. Truly, it was a day that many called Pre-Monday. However, for Ruby and Weiss, they woke up feeling like three million lien.<p>

Ruby looked over at the prominent digital clock. The readout read nine o'clock. Hmm… that meant that the shuttles from the city of Vale to beacon should have departed an hour ago. She was hoping that Blake and Yang enjoyed their 'shopping' trip. They should have gotten on the shuttles by now, like usual.

Wait!

Ruby grabbed Weiss' shoulder to try to wake her. "Weiss! You've gotta wake up! They're gonna be here!", she exclaimed as she began to shake Weiss.

However, Weiss was still half asleep. "Again? This early? No, Ruby, we have to clean up…", Weiss mumbled. Her response only made Ruby shake her more vigorously.

"Please! Get up!", Ruby pleaded. Desperate, Ruby shoved Weiss out of the bed. They had to clean up quickly! Grabbing a dazed Weiss by the hand, Ruby pulled her over to the dresser. Ruby sincerely hoped that Blake and Yang wouldn't walk in right now.

* * *

><p>Currently, the buxom duo was walking towards the dormitories. Contrary to regular procedure, Yang had actually bought some clothes this time around. Given that some of her shorts were ruined over the course of the past two weeks, she could really use some more. Yet, just because she had bought them doesn't mean she's carrying them. Blake was currently overloaded, carrying the clothing bag on top of three cases of Abomination energy drink. Blake had no idea how Yang kept on drinking that stuff.<p>

"Remind me, WHY am I carrying this stuff again?", Blake asked through her clenched teeth. Damn, this stuff was heavy. Yang tried to 'help' by taking out cans and chugging them, but that didn't do a thing. All it did was make Yang toss her empty cans all over the ground.

Taking another swig of her current can, Yang used her regular reply. "Because I paid for the trip, remember?".

Blake sighed at her justification. While she wasn't wrong, she wasn't exactly RIGHT either. While it was true that Yang paid for the shuttle tickets to Vale proper, those only cost five lien each. Blake alone had spent at least a three hundred lien at cafes and movie theaters. What she had gotten out of all these experiences is that Yang REALLY liked to be pampered by her lady. She knew she could never win any argument about it.

Groaning in resignation, Blake hefted Yang's luggage closer to her. Yang blissfully ignored Blake's plight. Both kept on marching towards her room. Sure, Blake had some trouble getting up the stairs, but Yang didn't worry in the slightest. Hell, Blake was a grown lady, she could handle it.

Arriving at their room, Yang moved to open the door, but it was opened from the inside. Ruby stood in the doorway, a smile plastered on her face.

"Hey, you guys! You're back! Let me get those, Blake!", greeted Ruby. If Ruby was acting out of character, Yang certainly didn't notice. As Ruby took the cases and bags, Blake cocked an eyebrow at her. What was different? She was dressed regularly, and her smile was warm. What was it?

Then, her enhanced Faunus senses picked up a smell. A very familiar, if a little faint, smell. Then, she noticed some bed sheets hastily stuffed under Weiss' bunk. Then it hit her.

Ohhh! Man, did she miss out! She glanced over at Weiss, who was making her bed. She gave a cat grin and flashed a quick wink. A slightly confused Weiss returned it with a small wave.

"So, what did you do yesterday?", Yang asked as she plopped down in a chair, opening her seventh can of Abomination. Weiss and Ruby gave a quick glance to each other.

"We, uh, saw a movie! Yeah!", Ruby piped up. "It was 'A Were-Grimm in Vacuo'!".

"Meh. Lame. You should have seen 'Bloodnado' instead. Right, Blakey?", Yang said. She took another swig of her drink.

Blake didn't even like the movie Yang dragged her to. As the tagline promised, "The Violence Is A Positive!". The only good part to her was the random shootout at the strip club. At least there were some beefcakes and bombshells to ogle at. But her relief was ended when a stripper got her nipples shot off. Then, she just decided to bide her time for the movie to end. But, she knew Yang LOVED it. Blake knew because Yang wouldn't shut the hell up about the parts she liked on the way back to the hotel.

"Sure, fine.", Blake agreed, not wanting to start a debate over why 'Bloodnado' was awesome.

"See! Blake agrees!", cheered Yang. Blake rolled her eyes enough to match Ren. This didn't go unnoticed by Ruby and Weiss.

Hoping to change the subject, Weiss interjected. "We also had ice cream at the snack bar.", she reported.

"That must have been pretty COOL", Yang punned. Everyone collectively groaned. All of those energy drinks must have given Yang brain damage. That was the only explanation for her horrible jokes.

As Yang got up to toss the now emptied can in the trash, she tripped over something. What was it? Looking around, she saw a sheet caught around her boot. What the hell? She pulled the sheet out from underneath the bed to inspect it. Unfurling it, she noticed a large, familiar smelling stain on it. The world froze for Team RWBY.

The team's reactions were mixed at the discovery. Ruby and Weiss were stunned that they were found out by mistake. Weiss in particular was convinced that these would be her last thoughts. Blake was proud that Ruby and Weiss affirmed their love. It was so romantic! Yang felt anger boil in her stomach. Oh, that Ice Bitch was DEAD. She slowly rose to her feet.

Growling, Yang grabbed Weiss by the shirt and started yelling. "What did I tell you?! WHAT DID I GOD DAMN TELL YOU?!", she roared in Weiss' face. In her anger, she didn't notice Blake take a pencil from the desk and aim at her lower back.

Blake flung the pencil. It landed right on point, near her lower spine. The blow paralyzed Yang. Releasing her grip, Yang once again was incapacitated. She ungracefully flopped onto the floor.

"Oh, not again…", she groaned. Blake towered over her. She began to speak.

"Please, understand Yang. These two LOVE each other. I know you want to be a cool big sis to Ruby, but this REALLY isn't helping. Just accept that Weiss loves her and deal with it.". Blake paused to allow her words to sink in. "I don't want to have to keep doing this…", she mumbled under her breath.

Yang groaned at her words. Even though she hadn't killed Weiss yet for dating Ruby, that didn't mean that she really liked it. Yet again, no one was good enough for her sister. Maybe she should just listen to Blake this time. The last time this thing happened, she lost ten hours, with her body completely rendered numb after she gained consciousness.

Plus, if this fling really made her sister happy, she had no real ground to dispute it. If everyone else was sailing on this relation-ship, then she might as well become her sister's skipper. Haha, relation-ship! Yang really cracked herself up sometimes.

"Fine…", Yang agreed. She figured she would just have to deal with it. She was a grown ass lady. She could do it… probably.

Blake kneeled down to Yang's level and kissed her on the head. "Good girl.", she complimented. She was starting to know how Ren felt constantly. Yang, on the other hand, blushed slightly at Blake's kiss.

Ruby blinked repeatedly, knocking herself out of her shocked stupor. Wow, a lot just happened. Maybe things could start to look up again! Maybe she could make things even better than before! Seizing the opportunity, she rushed over to the desk. Rummaging around, she pulled out her notebook, lose pages falling out. Dumping it on the desk top, she turned to everyone to make an announcement:

"Friends, lovers, sisters, and other! I have an announcement to make! From this point onward, we will continue Operation: The Sounds Of Vale, effective immediately! We will use the notes I've written to make my music show happen! BANZAI!", she punctuated by flexing both arms. Ruby thought that everyone would completely understand and agree with her immediately.

She couldn't be more wrong. If anything, everyone was even MORE confused now. As Ruby started to relax her arms, Yang was the first to speak up.

"Whaa? Why?", her question floated up from the floor.

"Because!", Ruby claimed, "We CAN! Think about it! Now we're free to do whatever we want with it!".

"Okay… but what exactly do we gain out of it?", Blake asked. She didn't even have much of a stake in the musical in the first place.

"Ummm… It's a team leader decision!", Ruby announced, dodging the question. It didn't work too well.

"You didn't answer the question.", Blake pointed out. Damn that cat and her logic!

"Ahhh… I… Please help me?", Ruby asked. She flashed her eyes in a bashful look. Yang and Weiss' will immediately melted at her look.

"I think we should do it!", supported Yang.

"I agree.", Weiss affirmed.

Blake, however, remained unconvinced. Ruby noted the look on her face.

"Come on, Blakey! I'll put in that idol music I know you like!", Ruby pleaded. Now Blake perked up at that line. Most of the time, she tried to pass herself off as a classic music lover, if only to keep up appearances. But no matter how much she denied it, she really did like sugary pop idol music. It was just so damn peppy! Shoot, now Ruby had the cards stacked against her! Will… crumbling… AAHHHHHHRRGGGG!

"Fine… I'll do it.", Blake relented. Ruby really knew how to push her buttons.

"YAY!", Ruby cried. "Launch Eva- I mean TEAM RWBY!". She dramatically pointed. Her finger wasn't really pointed anywhere important.

Ruby's cry was meant to be inspirational. Instead, it was about as lame as Yang's body currently was. Blake rolled her eyes and Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. Yang would have face palmed, if she could move right now.

Sighing, Weiss said, "No, Ruby. Just… stop trying to make it work.".

Lowering her arm, Ruby looked embarrassed. "Sorry.", she apologized.

Team RWBY clearly had their work cut out for them.

* * *

><p><strong>There! Another chapter done! Sorry for the delay, but with the help of my editor, JimboYokimbo, we rewrote the lemon stuff so it would suck less! So, give him a round of applause! We only settle for quality work around here! And tell me what you think of it in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off on this crate of citrusy fruit.<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Getting The Band Back Together (Part One)

**Hey friend, it's your pal, The Draigg! I'm striking back with another installment of this story! By now, you should know that I don't own RWBY, since Monty Oum does. Or, pretty much anything else I mention. I wouldn't do a good job if I did, anyway. So, let's get to reading, shall we?**

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><p>Ruby was rolling on her heels when she knocked on Team JNPR's door. It was currently eleven thirty in the morning. However, to her, it felt like the day had just begun. This was the first step to starting the music show back up again! Or, one of the steps. The other team members had split up to help recruit other people, so that they could get the help they needed.<p>

The plan was that Weiss would get Velvet and then both of them would head over to the Administration Office, in order to secure a location. Blake wheeled off the still paralyzed Yang in a desk chair over to the Band Club, in order to convince them to lend some music equipment. If all of them were to pull their goals of, then nothing could stop them!

Jaune swung open the door. Seeing Ruby standing there, with her ear to ear grin, he couldn't help but feel some déjà vu. He was sure this happened before. Putting on his best helpful smile, he spoke to Ruby.

"Heya, Ruby. What do you need?", he asked. Ruby, not missing a beat, took this as an invitation to waltz into the room. She moved past Jaune without answering his question. All he could do was turn around in confusion.

Spinning around on her heel, Ruby struck a dramatic pose. She thought she looked all cool, with one of her arms cocked back, and the other one holding her hand in front of her face, her palm facing her.

Ren and Nora had been arguing what to get for lunch, with Pyrrha listening in as a mediator when Ruby walked in. When she struck her pose, they stopped, confused. She probably had another of her announcements to make. Whatever it was, her pose was making it hard for her to take seriously.

"Oh, to what do owe the pleasure?", Ren snarked. He was having a rough day so far, with Nora pestering him that melted ice cream with gummy bears was a soup. Why couldn't they just get miso, like he suggested?

Dropping the pose, Ruby folded her arms. "I've got some news! We're redoing the musical, and we need your help!". With that being said, Ruby then pulled some crumpled papers out of her pockets. She threw them onto the table they were seated at.

Un-crumpling the papers, Team JNPR saw that these were Ruby's handwritten notes. They looked at her, wanting an explanation.

"Those are my plans! We're gonna put it together, and it'll be AWESOME!", Ruby said, cheering her own idea on.

Scanning over the papers, Ren noted, "This… seems more like a concert than a musical…".

"Yeah.", Jaune agreed. "What exactly are you shooting for?", he asked.

"I figured that the songs could tell a better story than we EVER could. Have you ever read Blake's writing?", Ruby asked hypothetically. She didn't really expect a response.

Ren's pupil's dilated at the mention of Blake's writing. Even though he could remember little of it, he could remember enough for him to start shivering uncontrollably. Why was it always the quite, stoic ones that were the biggest perverts around?

"All she wants is pain… All she NEEDS is pain…", Ren muttered to himself as he started to rock in his chair. In response, Nora hugged him and started whispering soothing noises in his ear.

Seeing the look on Ruby's face, Pyrrha explained to her, "Ren actually DID read some of her writing.". The color drained from Ruby's face.

"Which chapter?", she asked, trembling in her boots.

"Twelve… TWELVE!", recalled Ren. Ruby put a hand on his shoulder. Now she felt really bad for triggering Ren.

"I'm SO sorry!", apologized Ruby. Then, she added, "Don't worry, I've been there before, too.". That wasn't a pleasant memory.

* * *

><p>All Ruby wanted to do was order some new boot laces online. Unfortunately, her scroll's battery was drained, so it was charging. Looking for online access, she spied Blake's laptop. She probably wouldn't mind if she just used the internet. Sitting at the desk, she opened the laptop. For some reason, the word processor was still open. Curious, she started to scroll down.<p>

That was easily one of the worst decisions she had or will ever make.

If what she saw could be put into a single word, then the fan fiction she was reading was nothing but pain. Even if she understood little of what she was reading, she understood enough to start retching violently. She wished that she could un-see that one scene with the obese evil minister and the ant colony.

When the others had gotten back from getting pizza from the cafeteria, they never expected to see Ruby writhing on the ground, clawing at her arms. Her sleeves were starting to shred.

"OH GODS! THEY'RE UNDER MY SKIN! MOMMY! MOMMY! HELP ME! AAAHHHHHHH!", she was screaming. A frantic look was in her eyes, as if the infinite abyss leered at her and threatened to swallow her whole.

Blake, realizing that her laptop was open, dropped the pizza and slammed down the screen. An embarrassed blush crossed her face. Looking sheepish, she turned to the others.

"I guess it happened to her too.", Blake realized out loud.

At that thought, Yang tried to stop herself from vomiting by holding her mouth. It wasn't working. Her bile was pouring between her fingers.

Weiss took it even worse. She fainted face first into the pizza on the floor. Although she now had a tasty face, that didn't help with the fact that horrible, horrible repressed memories were starting to flow through her head.

To quickly go over Weiss' discovery, the chapter she had first read involved sexual torture on an undead slave girl with a live snake. Who the hell got turned on by venom loaded snake bites?! But, that's a story for a different time. Hopefully never.

Now Blake had to deal with a hysterical Ruby, a vomiting Yang, and an unconscious Weiss. She just didn't get it. Her fan fiction couldn't be THAT bad, right?

Right?

* * *

><p>Shaking the memory out of her head, Ruby tried to get back on the subject.<p>

"So, do ya think you can help us?", she asked. That got her weird looks. Clearly, this wasn't the time. But, she wouldn't take no for an answer. She stood her ground. That was troublesome for a number of reasons. Ren was starting to act erratic. He was trying to get himself out of Nora's grasp and un-holster his guns.

Seeing that Ruby demanded a response, Pyrrha answered quickly. "Sure, of course. But, do you think you can leave? We need to help Ren right now.". She shoved Ruby out of the door and locked it behind her. "No, put down the gun, Ren!", was Pyrrha's muffled plea behind the door. Just as the latch clicked, Ren broke free.

Ruby was glad that the plan was a success on her end. Happily, she skipped over to her room to wait for the others. She didn't notice the commotion coming for Team JNPR's room. If she paid attention, she would have heard Ren fire his StormFlowers wildly, and beg for death as they were pried from his hands.

Being Ren was nothing but an existence of pain.

* * *

><p>Now that the musical was cancelled, Velvet had little to do with her club time now. So, she was relaxing at her desk, reading one of her favorite manga. It was the latest chapter of <em>Mahou Shojo Yuki-chan<em>. Just as she started to read the page where Yuki-chan makes a wish to the Witches' Guild for her secret crush to notice her, a knock sounded against the door. Marking her page, Velvet answered the door. To her surprise, Weiss was standing there, looking determined about something..

"W-weiss? What are you doing here?", asked Velvet. She wasn't looking forward to facing her. After all, Velvet had a part in getting the play cancelled. Maybe she was here to get revenge! She came to kill her! Terrified, she held her manga in front of her like a shield.

"AHHH! Protect me, Yuki-chan!", she cried. Velvet's eyes were closed. She was ready to be frozen, or burned, or gravity warped, or whatever else Weiss could do to her.

Weiss raised her eyebrow. What was her deal? Did she think that she would hurt her? She pushed the book down so she could talk to Velvet. When she did that, Velvet whimpered and dove behind her desk. Her hiding wasn't very good, since her rabbit ears were still poking over the top. Giving a huff of frustration, Weiss walked over to a chair and sat down.

"Velvet, I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I'm her to offer you a job. Now please, come out from behind the desk.", Weiss ordered. This was starting to get absurd. How can a huntress in training be so scared all the time?

After a minute, Velvet shakily got up and sat in her desk chair. Smoothing her jacket, she said, "S-sorry, W-w-weiss. What c-can I d-do for you-u?". She was still slightly convinced that Weiss would hurt her. She kept on shaking in her seat.

"Look, Ruby wants to start another concert or musical or whatever. We want you to come back on board. She figured that you could use your club connections to assist us.", explained Weiss.

"O-ohhh.", Velvet realized. She felt a little more relaxed now. Ruby wants to do another show? Perfect! She must be a true lover of the arts!

"Weiss, I would be m-more than glad to help! Just let me know when and what, and I'll do it!", Velvet offered.

"Great.", Weiss said. "Now let's go.". She moved towards the door. Velvet looked surprised.

"What? Right now?", she asked.

"Of course. We need to go to the Administration Office to get clearance again.", droned on Weiss, as if she should know that already.

Velvet really didn't want to go back to that office. Ever since she cancelled that play, the secretary in charge of clubs was annoyed that she had wasted her time. Her reputation just kept on falling over there. However, she felt that she needed to do this for her friends. She couldn't let them down again!

Standing up and adjusting her skirt, Velvet steeled her resolve. "Okay, let's g-go.", she declared. She marched past Weiss towards the office. Weiss followed her.

* * *

><p>It was only natural that the Administration Office of Beacon Academy would be bustling with workers. Files needed to be filed, copies needed to be copied, coffee needed to be brewed, and the creatures of Grimm that Professor Port kept on smuggling in and breeding needed to be killed.<p>

The secretary of club activities, Ms. Muffet, wasn't in the mood to deal with anybody today. She had enough work on her hands as is. She needed to type up club expenses, file attendance reports, and try to justify her job performance after Team CRDL had stolen several projectors from the AV Club and played hardcore gay pornography on the side of the dormitories last month. Technically, those projectors were her responsibility. It wasn't so hard to believe that the young, dark blond haired secretary would be so jaded after only working here for two years.

So, when Velvet Scarlatina came up to her desk with another student she didn't recognize, she just took a heavy swig from her coffee mug. Damn, she could really use some booze right about now. She groaned when Velvet sat in front of her.

"What do you want now, Scarlatina?", she asked. She didn't get paid enough to deal with her crappy performance. That disaster of a play two months ago had nearly cost her job, since she was the one to approve it.

Velvet was nervously clenching her hands when she said: "I… I want to request another chance at renting out the theater again. Please, could you just do that for me?". She smiled weakly, hoping that her request would be heard.

Ms. Muffet just glared at her. After a minute of awkward silence, she replied, "No.". She went right back to working on her computer.

Weiss was shocked at the secretary's blunt answer and dismissal. What was her deal?

"Please,", Weiss begged, "We're pleading with you. Just give us another chance!".

Ms. Muffet sighed and turned her attention to Weiss. "Look, missy. I just can't do that, even if I wanted too. There's a month long period of time before reservations are open again. So, even if I wanted to help your little concert, there's no way I could. Now, please leave. I've got more pressing work to do.".

Weiss' face turned red with anger. "Fine, we don't need you, you jerk! Come on Velvet, let's go!". She turned around to stomp away. Suddenly, she whipped back around and pointed a finger at Ms. Muffet.

"You're the worst secretary! EVER!", she accused. Scowling, she shoved the doors open and marched out of the office.

Following Weiss' lead, Velvet stood up suddenly and said, "Yeah!". She blew a raspberry at Ms. Muffet. Ms. Muffet couldn't care less.

Velvet then followed Weiss out of the office. Ms. Muffet wondered why she had turned down that job at the remedial school in Vale. Then, Velvet poked her head back into the office.

She looked sheepish and her eyes couldn't meet her gaze. "Sorry…", she apologized. Then she quietly closed the door. Ms. Muffet could only roll her eyes at what she had witnessed.

* * *

><p>Walking back to the dormitories, Weiss was still venting her frustration, with Velvet acting as an anger sponge.<p>

"—So mean! I hope she loses her job! Who denies students a chance to expand their minds?! Meanies and jerks, that's who! She's nothing but a meanie!". Weiss turned around in the direction of the offices.

"MEANIE!", she yelled. All she managed to do was scare some birds out of their nest. Velvet sighed in defeat.

"Well, we could always try something else…", Velvet thought out loud. She really wanted to not disappoint her friends again.

"Like where? We can't rent out another building big enough! Where could we even go?!", Weiss spat out, frustrated.

Then, a thought clicked in Velvet's head. "Wait… who said we needed to use a building?". Both of them stopped in their tracks.

"Velvet… that's good! Why didn't I think of that!", Weiss exclaimed. "Come on, I've got an idea!". Weiss then summoned a glyph and launched herself far down the walkway.

Velvet was shocked at how quick Weiss had moved. She started to run after her.

"Hey! Wait for me!", she cried after Weiss.

Weiss by now was about a quarter of a mile way, heading towards the fields near the gardens. Yes, that could work! It was big enough! Plus, they had all the room they would ever need! It was brilliant!

Now the dream of a music show was starting to come closer to reality again!

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><p><strong>There, another section done! I hope you liked it! Also, thanks for sending in your reviews. Keep up the good work, fellow readers! This is The Draigg, signing off like the last time.<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Getting The Band Back Together (Part Two)

**Insert friendly introduction here! It's me, The Draigg! Okay children, you can have one more chapter for today, but that's it! Just remember that Monty Oum owns RWBY, and I don't own anything I mention. Now, I hope enjoy your fresh chapter!**

* * *

><p>While Velvet and Weiss were heading to the Administration office, Blake and Yang were heading to the Music Club to negotiate for equipment. Or, they would be, if Yang's paralyzed body would actually stay in the desk chair she was being wheeled on. Currently, Blake was trying to make sure that Yang wouldn't fall off the chair again. Every time they moved about twenty feet, Yang slid out of the chair and onto the floor.<p>

Blake was currently tying Gambol Shroud's ribbon around Yang's midriff, hoping this would keep her from slipping out if the chair.

"You know, if you hadn't done your ninja shit to me, we wouldn't be in this situation.", Yang grumbled. That ribbon was really uncomfortable. It kept on shoving up her top and was starting to chafe her skin. Of course this would happen on the one day her bras were in the laundry.

Blake sighed at Yang's comment. "And if you were a reasonable young adult, I wouldn't have to step in like that.", Blake noted.

"I TOLD you, I'm okay with that now.", defended Yang.

"Yeah, only AFTER I hit your pressure point.", shot back Blake.

Yang had to admit she had a point. If she hadn't, Weiss would be nothing but a charred smear on the carpeting. She guessed that being paralyzed by your girlfriend really put perspective into you.

"Whatever…", Yang reluctantly agreed.

"See, it was for your own good. I'm a ninja for a reason, Yang.", Blake said.

"Not a ninja of love, though.", Yang insulted under her breath.

"What was that?", Blake asked. She flicked Yang on the forehead.

"Oww! Nothing!", said Yang, recoiling from the annoying blow.

"That's what I thought.", was Blake's even tone. Then, a slight smile grossed her face.

"You're so adorable when you're flustered like that.", Blake stated, running a finger over Yang's leg. Yang's leg muscles would have stiffened if they weren't numb right now. She was putty in Blake's hand whenever she touched her.

"Blake, please… not now…", Yang moaned. Blake's hand traced over to the zipper of Yang's shorts. She slowly began to unzip it a little bit it. By now, Yang's appetite was fully awakened. She didn't care if she was tied to a desk chair by a multi-purpose weapon, she was ready for this. Suddenly, Blake drew away her hand. She had only zipped her shorts down half way. Chuckling, she started to push the chair down the hall.

"Oh, come ON Blake! Really?!", Yang complained. Of course she would tease her now. She knew she shouldn't be too surprised, but Blake always managed to get her every time. She had no idea how that cat did it! Maybe it was, like, pheromones or something like that.

Blake continued to chuckle. "Still too easy.", she stated.

Yang groaned in frustration. Damn it! First her sister is banging the Ice Princess, then she got paralyzed, and now her girlfriend is being a huge tease again? Yang wasn't sure how this day could get worse.

Naturally, she had just jinxed herself. The universe just LOVES easy opportunities to mess with someone. It was a lot like Blake, in that regard.

* * *

><p>The Music Club room was located not that far from the theater. It was a floor below it, in fact. Unfortunately, that meant climbing down some stairs to reach the sublevel it was on. With Yang strapped to a chair, it was a little difficult to traverse. Eventually, after some thought, it was decided that Yang would flare up her aura and be thrown down the staircase.<p>

Naturally, Yang didn't agree with this. But, since she couldn't control her limbs, her vote really didn't matter. It wasn't even really up to a vote. It was more of Blake telling her what to do, and then giving the chair a rolling start.

Of course, Yang wasn't too happy when she landed on the floor below. She was lucky that none of her bones were broken, even if the chair protected her a little. To make matters worse, Gambol Shroud's ribbon had completely shoved up Yang's shirt. Now, Yang was into a variety of (somewhat normal) stuff, but exhibitionism in front of classrooms wasn't one of those things. If one would were to look at her face, it would be red from a mixture of fury and embarrassment.

"Blake, you FUCK! Fuck you, you fucking fuck! If I were able to move, I would box the SHIT out of your goddamn cat ears! Just try me! JUST FUCKING TRY ME!", Yang yelled.

Picking up Yang and the chair, Blake was unfazed by her insults. These ones were pretty tame compared to the ones she shouted at traffic.

"You don't mean that.", Blake replied coolly. She shoved down Yang's top. Normally, she would have left it up, but they had a mission to do. Yang's bountiful chest would have to wait for later.

"OhhohoHO! Really?! Then fucking FIGHT me, you fucking cu—", Yang's threats were cut off by Blake kissing her on the lips. After a minute, Yang seemed to calm down a bit.

Releasing the kiss, Blake looked Yang directly in the eyes. She said, "I'm sorry, okay? Look, I'll make this up later. Hell, I'll even let you have a freebie later. But, we've got a job to do right now. So, if you're done swearing, can we go over to the Music Club now?".

Groaning, Yang nodded. Blake started to wheel the chair down the hall towards the club room. Hopefully, they could get the equipment they needed. Then, it would make this exercise in embarrassment and pain actually worth something.

* * *

><p>Unlike the Theater Club, the Music Club actually had a bigger office and more funding. The room was wide, and stuffed with rare and traditional instruments. Most of the things being stored in there were rather expensive. That tsungi horn in the corner cost roughly the same as 2.3 champion racing dogs. Of course, that meant that the club didn't lend out equipment easily.<p>

"So, why should I lend you a mixing table and speakers?", asked the club president. It probably would have helped to learn the guy's name before Yang and Blake started to beg for equipment.

"Well, Mister…", Yang was drawing a blank on his name. "…Sir, we're just lovers of the arts. It would be a travesty to NOT lend us the equipment.". Yang thought that was a good argument. This is why Yang shouldn't have been the one to start talking first.

Blake decided to step in before Yang made this unsalvageable. "What my partner is TRYING to say is that your equipment would be put at the forefront of a great show. If we pull it off, you're club will receive a major boost in popularity.", Blake tried to justify.

"And how so?", asked the president, running a pale hand through his dark green hair. At least Blake was getting through to him better than Yang.

"Think about it. 'The Sounds Of Vale, presented by the Music Club'. It has a good ring to it, don't you think?", convinced Blake.

The club president seemed to consider this. "Okay, while that doesn't sound that bad, I'm going to need more than that.", he decided. He was being a stickler.

"What I can guarantee, sir, is only the FINEST of performances. But only of you help us.", Yang interjected, trying to be helpful.

The president sighed. "I meant like something physical or worth something. How did you not pick up on that?".

Yang tried to shrink in her chair. Her paralyzed body made that impossible. Once again, Blake had to save her.

"What can my friends…", Blake reached into her pocket and pulled out all the money she had on her. "Mister One and Mister Ten say about it?".

The club president rolled his eyes. "I don't need your money. Look around you!", he said, gesturing around him. "I think we have enough money here.".

"Blake!", Yang whispered loudly. "I've got an idea! Pull up my shirt!".

Blake furiously whispered back, "I am NOT doing that!".

"Trust me, it'll work! Just do it!", Yang reassured her.

"You know I can hear you, right?", the president said. They weren't whispering as much as lowly shouting.

Both of them looked red in the face. "Ahhh… That's embarrassing...", Yang realized.

The president leaned forward on his desk. "You know I can just take favors, right? Like, I scratch your back, you scratch mine? Something like that?", suggested the club president.

"Like what?", Blake asked.

"Well, the next time I have a function, just have whoever sent you two help me out. How does that sound?", the president asked.

"Great!", piped up Yang.

"Who sent you two, anyway?", asked the president.

"Oh, the Theater Club is helping us.", Blake explained.

The Music Club president groaned and then ran his hand through his hair again. "Really?", he said in disbelief.

"Well, they're helping us, not the other way around.", responded Blake.

"Oh, thank the gods.", the president said. "I don't want to look TOO bad.".

"So, is it a deal?", asked Yang.

"Deal. Now, could you excuse me? I've got a LOT of paperwork to do here.", said the president, dismissing the pair.

"Thanks!", yelled Yang as she was wheeled out of the office door by Blake.

* * *

><p>"Well, that went good.", Yang stated once outside the office.<p>

"Indeed.", agreed Blake. She wheeled Yang in silence until they got near the staircase. Both of them stopped.

"Uhh… how do we get up?", asked Yang. Getting down was easy, if somewhat painful. How the hell could Blake haul Yang up the stairs?

Blake looked around, trying to think of a solution. Then, she eyed a pair of silver doors. They had up an up button on the side.

"Oh hey, an elevator.", observed Blake. Yang couldn't believe it.

"Wait, wait, wait! You DIDN'T have to throw me down the stairs?!", shouted Yang.

"I guess not.", replied Blake flatly. As she wheeled Yang over to the elevator, Yang just hung her head down low. She just didn't care anymore. She hated being alive right now.

If the universe could laugh right now, it would be roaring it's head off right about now.

* * *

><p>As Yang was giving up on life across campus, Weiss was looking around the empty field near the remains of the gardens. This would be perfect! Everyone LOVED an outdoor concert! Velvet finally ran up to Weiss and collapsed on the grass at her feet. She was absolutely beat.<p>

"Look, Velvet! There's enough room here to spare! It'll do just fine!", Weiss exclaimed, feeling a little elated. Velvet, on the other hand, felt like her lungs were on fire.

"I…. *pant, pant*… agree… *pant*", agreed Velvet. It felt nice, lying on the cool grass. If it wasn't mid—day, she could actually fall asleep here.

"I think we could get the groundskeeper to lend us this field. He'd probably be nicer than that JERK secretary at the office.", Weiss thought out loud. Velvet nodded from where she had lied down.

"We can… *pant* but I'm too tired to move right now…", moaned Velvet.

"I can take care of that.", Weiss bragged. Suddenly, Weiss summoned a glyph underneath Velvet.

"Oh no, don't do THIIIISSS-", Velvet shouted as she was launched into the air.

Weiss briefly paused to admire how far she had flung Velvet. Then, summoning another glyph, she launched herself after her. As the wind blew through her hair, Weiss couldn't help but think that Ruby would be so proud of her.

All Velvet could think about was that she really wanted her daddy right about now.

* * *

><p>An anti-gravity glyph briefly appeared out in front of the office complex. Weiss landed with both feet on it, and did a flip off of it. She had stuck the landing. Thinking quickly, she cast another glyph next to her. She looked up at the distant figure of Velvet, careening towards her.<p>

Velvet's landing wasn't as pretty. It wasn't as much of a landing as much as it was 'crashing face first into an anti-gravity well'. Velvet trembled as she picked herself up. She hoped that nobody would notice that she had wet herself on the flight over.

"So, the groundskeepers' office should be around here somewhere…", Weiss thought out loud as she grabbed Velvet's wrist. She was dragged into the building, too stunned to even walk.

"Dust Controller, no… Ammo Warden, no… Nutrition Staff, no… Grimm Egg Disposal, no… Director of VR Tech, no…", Weiss mumbled as she looked for the right office in the building's hallway. Then, she spotted the groundskeepers' office near the 'Viral Outbreak Protocol Board' office. She dashed over to the door, dragging a wildly flailing Velvet behind her.

When they entered the office, most of the desks were empty. Only one old man in a flat cap and red overcoat was sat at a worn desk, watching something on a portable television. Hearing the door open, he turned his attention to Weiss and Velvet.

"My, I rarely have visitors. What can I do for you young ladies?", the old man greeted.

"Excuse me, are you the groundskeeper?", Weiss asked.

"Yes, indeed I am. Groundskeeper Appleseed, at your service.", Mr. Appleseed declared.

"Come, come, take a seat.", he offered, gesturing to two worn chairs near his desk. Weiss placed Velvet in a chair and sat next to her.

"Hello! I'm Weiss Schnee, and this is Velvet Scarlatina. We're here on behalf on a group interested in a musical production. We've come to ask you a favor.", Weiss droned in a formal tone.

Mr. Appleseed scratched his scruffy, grey haired chin. "Hmm… what exactly do you need?", he asked.

"Well… we were interested in having an outdoor concert. We've scouted around, and it was decided that the field near the gardens would be the best place to hold it. What we ask of you is to lend us the land for our show.", pitched Weiss. It seemed like she had a natural penchant for business. Velvet was a little impressed.

A small laugh came from Mr. Appleseed's mouth. "A music show, eh? Why didn't you say so? Sure, I can allow that.", he agreed.

Weiss was a little shocked. She didn't expect that to go that easily. "W-wow! Thank you! I can assure you, you won't regret it!", exclaimed Weiss.

"You know, I was once like you kids. Heck, I even have a degree in classical music!", Mr. Appleseed boasted, gesturing to a dusty frame on the wall. Indeed, it was a degree from the Arvese Academy of Art.

"Just be sure to send me a ticket, okay?", he asked with a small wink.

"O-of course! We'll be glad to send you one! Thank you! Very much!", Weiss thanked as she leaned over and shook his hand. All Mr. Appleseed did was flash a toothy grin.

"No, it was my pleasure. It's nice to see people with an interest in the musical arts.", he said, smiling.

Weiss turned he attention back to Velvet. "Come on, Velvet! We have to tell Ruby!". Giving one last wave to Mr. Appleseed, she shoved Velvet out of the office door.

Mr. Appleseed adjusted his hat. "Huh. Kids.", he said to himself, before getting back to watching his stories.

Back in the hallway, Velvet was walking next to Weiss. "Wow! That was incredible. I wish my stuff was that easy!", Velvet complimented.

Weiss lifted her head proudly. "Of course! A Schnee ALWAYS thrives in negotiations!", she boasted. The pair walked out of the door.

"Ready for another flight?", Weiss asked.

"Yeah! Wait, what?", Velvet said before another glyph launched her in the air once more. Weiss followed her on her own trajectory. If one looked up then, they would have seen what looked like two birds. One kept on screaming, for some reason.

* * *

><p>It was late in the afternoon when Weiss had come back from the groundskeepers' office. It took them a little longer to get back to Team RWBY's dorm, since Velvet had to make a quick stop to change her urine soaked panties.<p>

When they opened the door, they saw Ruby waiting near it, like a puppy waiting for her friend. Seeing Weiss, she launched herself to envelop Weiss in a hug. She ended up tackling her.

"Ow! Ruby!", chided Weiss. Ruby climbed off her.

"Sorry, sorry. How did it go?", she asked.

Picking herself up, Weiss replied, "Well, we couldn't get the theater…". Ruby's expression dropped at this. "… But we DID manage to get a field for you!", Weiss declared, looking proud of herself.

Ruby let out a large squee. Throwing herself at Weiss again, she planted a kiss on her lips. Weiss, the recipient, and Velvet, the witness, both blushed.

Velvet felt very awkward standing there. "Uhh… should I go?", she asked. Ruby stopped kissing Weiss and vigorously shook Velvet's hand.

"Thank you Velvs! Thanks a lot!", Ruby cried.

"Th—thanks.", replied Velvet. Feeling a little out of place, Velvet turned on her heel and walked out of the door.

Ruby and Weiss both relaxed on Weiss' bunk. "What should we do now?", asked Weiss.

"We just wait for Yang and Blake. Ohh, I hope they did as good a job as you!", Ruby answered.

As if on cue, Blake wheeled Yang into the room. Yang was looking depressed. Blake was wearing her standard stoic look.

"So, what happened? Did you get the stuff?", Ruby asked cheerfully.

"Of course we did.", replied Blake. She wheeled Yang near the drink pile. Pulling out a can of Abomination, she opened it and put it on Yang's lap. Yang tried to bend over to drink it, but she ended up spilling it all over her lap. All she could do was whimper in dejection. Naturally, nobody paid her that much attention.

"I just wanna sleep…", moaned Yang. Untying Yang, Blake placed her on her own bunk.

"As you can see, Yang didn't have that great of a day.", explained Blake. Yang grunted in agreement.

Ruby was elated. "Awesome! We're closer to the musical than ever before! YYAAYYYYY!", she cheered. She jumped in her seat, and hit her head on the bottom of her own bunk. "Ow ow ow ow!", she cried, holding her head. Weiss held her shoulders.

"I think we did good for today.", Weiss spoke for Ruby.

"Right.", Blake said.

Now that their goals were accomplished for today, Team RWBY decided to relax for today. Blake worked on updating her fan fiction, Yang tried to will herself to sleep, and Ruby and Weiss played a game in their scrolls, head to head. They remained like that for the rest of the day.

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><p><strong>There, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! You'll have to wait until the next update for another one! And thank you for reading! This is The Draigg, signing off on this… for now.<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Trouble In Paradise

**Howdy, amigos! It's your hombre, The Draigg! I've whipped up another fresh chapter for you, wrapped up and ready to go! Now, before you sink your teeth into this soft, savory chapter, just remember I don't own RWBY, or anything else I mention. Monty Oum owns that first bit. So, kick back, and shove this chapter down your throat!**

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><p>Another Monday opened over the kingdom of Vale. All of the regular senses were in the atmosphere that day. You could smell the flowers of the gardens, the delicious smells of breakfast, and the freshly spilled blood of Grimm. You could hear the birds singing, students groaning about late homework, and the dying wails of Grimm being eviscerated.<p>

Team RWBY had signed up a few months ago for an extra credit seminar early that morning held by Professor Port in his classroom. It was a live demonstration of the Grimm anatomy. Given the nature of the professor's… lessons, there was no surprise at how violent it was.

"So, you can see that the Boarbatusk's skull plate is particularly weak in that specific spot.", Professor Port explained, pulling his Blunderaxe out if the dead beast's skull. A small portion of brain matter came out with the blade. Wiping the blade off with a rag, he continued:

"Now, I'm going to show you the parts that are safe to eat.", he announced. Rolling the creature of Grimm over, Professor Port plunged his weapon into the beast's gut. A large geyser of blood came out of the boar's body. It was no wonder that the first two rows were given waterproof ponchos to wear.

Weirdly enough, Team RWBY was feeling pretty hungry. They had to skip breakfast just to attend this seminar. But, they were too distracted to pay attention to their hunger. That had been passing notes to each other, talking about the upcoming show.

Weiss was currently in possession of the piece of paper they had been writing on. Sure, it was covered in some blood, but what was written was still readable. Currently, Blake was arguing with the others on why that pop song was necessary for the good of the show.

"_I'm just saying, it'll add depth and atmosphere to the experience._", was Blake's latest defense. Weiss sighed as she read. Ruby only said she would put it in the show so Blake would help out. Picking up her pen, she wrote:

"_I do not see in any way, shape, or form, how your music fits into the romantic theme we're going for._".

Folding the paper back up, she passed it over to Blake. Weiss watched her face as she unfolded the note. A scowl came over her face, and she furiously wrote on the note. Not looking at Weiss, she shoved it back in her direction.

Looking at the note, Weiss' eyes scanned over Blake had written:

"_Look, how many times do I have to tell you, it's not for me. It's for the audience members that may or may not really like that type of music. You're not being considerate._".

Weiss couldn't keep on arguing with Blake on this. She had seen her playlists on her open laptop before. All of her songs were either classical music, or that sugary pop music in a language she couldn't understand.

Feeling a headache coming on, Weiss passed the paper over to Ruby. Maybe she could talk Blake out of it.

Ruby looked at the note. She could see Weiss looking at her expectantly out of the corner of her vision. Ruby looked over the recent writings. She really didn't know what decision to make. Sure, she said that she would put in a pop song so that Blake would help her, but she also felt that it wouldn't really mesh well with the other songs. Ruby was feeling pretty conflicted. Moving her pencil over the paper, she wrote:

"_I don't disagree with what you think, Blake, but I also think we could put something better in it's place._".

Hoping that her words would settle the argument, she moved the paper between Blake and Weiss. Both of them looked at Ruby's response. Quickly snatching the paper, Blake scribbled something on it and handed it over to Ruby.

Blake's note said: "_See? You don't disagree. Therefore, it stays._".

Weiss was reading the note over Ruby's shoulder. There was no winning with this cat! Weiss really tried not to hit something in frustration. She whipped around to Blake.

"That's NOT how that works!", she furiously whispered. All of this pick and choose logic was so annoying!

Blake chose the most adult and responsible response to Weiss' statement: she stuck out her tongue at her. That just made Weiss even angrier. Her fists clenched with fury. Grabbing the note out of Ruby's hand, she picked up her pen and wrote quickly on it. Then, she threw the paper at Blake.

Weiss had written several insults. Her note read:

"_You mean, dirty, filthy, dunce! You dolt! You're nothing but a dunce! I'm insulted at what you consider a good debate is! That's so stupid! Stupid! STUPID! _".

Of course, Weiss chose the mature response. It could only go downhill from here. If one were to read what the paper said over the next ten minutes, it would read:

"_I'm sorry that some of us are born being considerate, WEISS._".

"_Considerate? How am I being inconsiderate?! It's YOU who's being inconsiderate! Jerk!_".

"_YOU'RE the jerk, Weiss! You're a jerk-face!_".

"_No, you are!_".

"_No, you are!_".

"_No, you!_".

"_Well, if I'M a jerk, you're a meanie!_".

"_YOU'RE a meanie! You're a mean ice queen!_".

"_Fuck you, cat!_".

"_No, fuck YOU, icicle!_".

"_Fish breath!_".

"_Frigid bitch!_".

Ruby was reading the notes as they kept coming. This argument was getting WAY out of hand. She had to step in here. She was Team Leader, darn it!

"Uhh... guys, can you uh... stop fighting?", Ruby whispered to both of them. That didn't go over well with the other two. Both glared at her. If looks could kill, she would be dead ten times over by now. Both were pretty scary.

Ruby began to shrink in her seat. Too scary, too scary! Ruby held up her hands to defend herself. Whimpering, she whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please, don't hurt me!".

The glares continued. Tears of fear began to pour out of Ruby's eyes. She was completely convinced that she was going to be set on fire by their minds. That was the breaking point.

"Look! You made her cry!", Weiss accused, pointing a finger at Blake.

"What?! It's YOUR fault!", Blake shot back.

Weiss launched herself at Blake with a flying tackle. As soon as Weiss kneed Blake in the gut, she got punched in the ear. Soon, the heap of a fight spilled out into the walkway. The entire class was watching. This was WAY more interesting than the lecture.

Finishing the organs he cooked on his hotplate, Professor Port took this as an opportunity to talk about hand to hand combat.

"See, Ms. Schnee isn't using the right grapple. What she should do is pull Ms. Belladonna's arms DOWN instead of UP.". Weiss took the Professor's advice to heart. The fight then moved to the front of the class.

"Now, Ms. Belladonna has the right idea in punching Ms. Schnee's kidney. But, she hit the wrong one. Seeing that Ms. Schnee is left handed, she should have went for the left one.", Professor Port explained.

Blake then landed a few hard blows on Weiss' left kidney. Yelping in pain, she clutched her left side. This opened her up for a kick to the face.

"What an impressive kick! But, now that Ms. Schnee is on the ground, she has an advantage: now, she can sweep the legs and bring Ms. Belladonna down with her.", he continued.

Weiss kicked one of Blake's legs and staggered her. As Blake tried to regain balance, Weiss then followed up with a punch to the baby maker. The entire class winced at the blow. Holding her crotch in pain, Blake slumped onto the floor. Just as Weiss climbed onto Blake to hit her face more, the class doors opened.

Professor Glynda Goodwitch stood in the doorway. With a wave of her crop, Weiss and Blake were separated and pinned against opposite walls.

"Children, please! No. Fighting. In. Class.", Ms. Goodwitch said through clenched teeth. She didn't get paid enough to deal with students fighting.

Hovering Blake and Weiss so that they would face each other, Ms. Goodwitch ordered:

"Now, apologize.".

Blake and Weiss looked away defiantly. Moving them closer, Ms. Goodwitch ordered more sternly, "APOLOGIZE.".

Sighing, Weiss was the first to extend the proverbial olive branch. She muttered, "Sorry for hitting you...".

Blake was considering her options. She didn't want to apologize, but if she could be put down if she said sorry, then she would do it. She relented.

"Weiss, I'm sorry that I hurt you.", she said, only half meaning it. That blow to the crotch still stung a lot. She was grinding her teeth in pain.

Letting Blake and Weiss go, the pair slumped to the floor. Professor Goodwitch sighed. Privately, she did admit to herself that this fight was nothing compared to Team CRDL's. At least they didn't cost Beacon several thousand lien in damages. But, this fight would have gotten worse if she hadn't stopped them. It was a good thing she saw the live camera feed when the fight started.

Weiss was limping back to her seat, and Blake was still writhing on the ground, clutching her vagina in pain. Professor Port decided to speak up.

"Okay, that's it for this lecture. You'll find the extra credit added to your next report cards. And you two.", he said turning his attention to Blake and Weiss. "Good fight.", he complimented.

That lecture had gone WAY better than everyone expected. Professor Port had to make the next one just like that one.

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><p>Weiss and Blake hadn't talked to each other since that morning's fight. Now, it was the middle of the afternoon. The team regrouped at the dorm room. Weiss wouldn't stop pouting, and Blake was holding an ice pack to her crotch. It was still sore from that really hard punch. Yang and Ruby were getting concerned. Why was this happening again? It was just like the time when Blake revealed she was a Faunus to the team accidentally. Yang tried to smooth things over with her trademark humor.<p>

"Hey!", she said to nobody in particular. "You know what I thought when Blake shoved that dust... you know... there?".

The room was filled with an awkward, heavy silence. Undaunted, Yang continued.

"Wow! What a shock!", she said, smiling. She really did crack herself up sometimes.

If one thing could unite ANY team, it was the pure hatred for Yang's horrible jokes. Blake in particular was insulted. It really seemed like a good idea at the time!

"Yang, baby.", Blake said an even tone. "I have NO idea what you're talking about.", she said, glancing around the room. She hoped that nobody else believed her. Somehow managing to stand up, she limped over to where Yang was sitting.

"If you EVER bring that up again, it's going to be fire dust next time.", she whispered to her, menacingly.

That shut Yang up. She didn't want her intestines to become barbeque. Blake limped back over to her chair and picked up a book. She hoped that she could drown out the world with reading.

Ruby kept on looking at her team with worry. Even if they were being quiet, she couldn't ignore the elephant in the room. As Team Leader, she had to do something about her teammate's behavior. She couldn't take the tension any more.

"You guys!", Ruby said getting everyone's attention. "I know we want to ignore this morning, but we HAVE to talk about it. Just... what were you two thinking?", she asked.

Blake glanced up from her book at Weiss. Weiss returned the look. It was a look of shame and embarrassment. Both of them nodded at each other.

Weiss spoke up and said, "We... don't know what you're talking about.".

Ruby suddenly felt stone-walled. Why was Weiss denying that she fought Blake?  
>"Come on, don't be like that. If we just talk about it, we can put it behind us," pleaded Ruby. Why was Weiss being so difficult?<p>

Blake then said, "Ruby, all we did was attend a seminar this morning. Nothing really happened.".

Was Ruby just going crazy? Now Blake was denying it too!

"You too, Blake?", Ruby asked in disbelief.

Why were the both of them being like this? They still had all of their bruises and wounds! How could they deny that?!

"It's not funny, you guys. Please, let's just talk about it!", Ruby begged. The situation was spiraling out of her control. Weiss and Blake ignored her question.

"Just say something! Anything! Come on!", Ruby yelled. Why her? Was she doing a bad job as Team Leader? Was this her fault? She just didn't know!

"Look at me! Please! Say something!", continued Ruby. Her pleas were greeted by silence.

They were being so mean! It wasn't fair! All Ruby was trying to do was be a good leader! Weiss once promised to support her as leader! Was she going back on that promise? That hurt even more than when the musical was shut down! Ruby's chest began to hitch with sobs. Why? Why were they being so MEAN?!

"Please... say anything!", Ruby cried. Now tears were flowing down her face freely. All she wanted now was a hug. Running over to Yang, she wrapped her arms around her big sister.

Yang was beyond furious. How dare they make her sister cry like that! After all she had done for them, this is how they repaid her!?

"Get out.", Yang growled. Blake and Weiss looked at her dumbly.

"I SAID GET OUT! THERE'S NO PLACE FOR YOU HERE!", Yang yelled at them. Stunned, Blake and Weiss made their way to the door. Yang slammed the door behind them. Both could hear the latch lock into place. They weren't getting back in anytime soon.

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><p>Weiss slumped against the wall and buried her face in her hands. She had just made a huge mistake. All she wanted to do was ignore that morning. She didn't want Ruby to see her that way, with her getting into petty fights. But, she had hurt Ruby even worse than before. That's all she was good at, hurting and using people. She kept on hurting Ruby, with all take and no give. Ruby even graced her with her touch, and Weiss never repaid her with the same. She felt so slimey, so dirty. She didn't deserve to be with Ruby. She was nothing but a child still. She hadn't learned anything. She didn't deserve to be loved.<p>

Weiss began to rock back and forth, banging her head against the wall. Blake was shocked at Weiss' actions. She had never seen Weiss act like this before. No knowing what to do, she looked around. Maybe somebody could help her. Thinking quickly, she knocked on Team JNPR's door. Pyrrha answered it.

"Hey Blake, what is it?", she asked. Pyrrha answered her own question when she saw Weiss on the floor, starting to cry and hitting her head against the wall. Crouching near her, she scooped Weiss up in her arms.

"Sshhh sshhh, it's okay, it's okay.", she comforted. Weiss still cried in her grasp. Pyrrha turned her attention to Blake. "What happened?", she asked.

"I don't know! We got kicked out of our room for ignoring Ruby, and then all of the sudden Weiss is like this.", Blake explained.

"Come on, you can stay in our room.", Pyrrha offered, gesturing with her head. She carried Weiss into the room, and Blake followed.

Jaune was the only other person in the room, since Ren had taken Nora to the library to study in silence. Seeing Weiss in Pyrrha's arms, crying uncontrollably, he sprung out of his seat and rushed over Pyrrha's side.

"Is she alright?", he asked.

"I don't think so.", replied Pyrrha.

Pyrrha placed Weiss onto her bed. Weiss immediately rolled over and started to cry and scream into the pillow. The others looked on with concern.

"What should we do?", Jaune asked. He tried to reach out to Weiss, but Pyrrha pulled his hand back.

"I wouldn't try anything right now.", Pyrrha advised. "Wait until she's settled down a little.".

As the others were wondering how to help, Weiss remained alone in her thoughts. She hated herself. She hated her upbringing, her mom, her dad, everything. All of those things hated her, and made her a bitter, lonely little girl. But, the one time she found happiness with someone, her own stubbornness shoved her away. But, she knew she couldn't blame everything on the way she was raised. She had messed up on her own volition. That made her pain even worse. All of those bruises she had gotten from Blake felt like nothing compared to what she was feeling now. Maybe she just can't be loved. No matter how much she cried, no matter how much she screamed and begged and pleaded, everything she loved just burnt away. All she had to keep her company was just the ashes of what could have been.

Weiss screamed in pain and started to rain weak punches on the bed. That was the only comfort she granted herself. She wished that she was hitting herself. She wanted to hit and kick and bite that stupid little child.

Her blows lessened until she clutched at the bed sheets. She was crying so hard, it felt as if her lungs were on fire. She didn't care. If anything, she deserved that pain.

Pyrrha looked on with Jaune and Blake at Weiss. She needed to do something. She couldn't stand to see one of her friends in this amount of pain. She turned to Jaune.

"I'm going across the hall. Keep an eye on her, will you?", Pyrrha asked of Jaune. He simply nodded. Pyrrha made her way across the room and to the other dorm.

Knocking on the door, she was greeted by Ruby. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and she kept on sniffling. It looked like she had just finished crying herself.

"Ruby, come quick. Weiss isn't well. Come on!", Pyrrha beckoned.

Ruby had no choice but to follow. Not only was it her duty to her teammate, but it was also her duty as girlfriend.

Going with Pyrrha, she walked over to Team JNPR's room.

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><p><strong>Wow, that's a downer to end on. Anyway, be sure to send thanks to JimboYokimbo, who helped me edit this story. Check out his stories, he's a rad dude! Keep those reviews flowing in too! Anyway, I hope you guys stay on for more! This is The Draigg, signing off here.<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Dedication's Reprisal

**Oi, it's The Draigg again. After all that heartbreak, can you continue to read on? I'd hope so! By now you should probably know that I don't own RWBY or anything else I mention. With that being said, let's continue from where we left off last time!**

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><p>When Pyrrha told her that Weiss wasn't okay, Ruby felt worried. So, when Ruby saw Weiss, she realized that her fears were justified. Weiss was sitting on the bed, her knees halfway up to her chest. Her breathing was shallow was she clutched a pillow, holding it tight. Tears and mucus were pouring out of her in streams, as Weiss cried harder than Ruby had ever seen before.<p>

Rushing over to Weiss' side, Ruby wrapped her arms around her. Ruby's eyes started water again, ever so slightly. Sure, she had cried when she thought Weiss broke her promise to support her. But, now it was clear to her that that promise was never broken. Weiss was felling far, far worse. She must have broken a promise to herself.

"I'm h-here now. It's g—gonna be ok-kay.", Ruby said to Weiss, starting to choke up. It hurt to see her like this. Ruby always had a good sense of empathy. So, seeing Weiss like this… it was simply unbearable. But, she had to be strong for her now. Ruby steeled her resolved.

Pyrrha motioned for Jaune and Blake to leave the room. Whatever needed to happen, they didn't need to be there. It was all up to Weiss and Ruby now. Silently, the others exited the room and gently shut the door behind them.

Weiss managed to get a few words through her tortured sobs. "D-don't l-look-k a-at me-e.", she pleaded. She didn't want Ruby to see her be this weak. Weiss wanted Ruby to see her as a strong, caring individual. How could Ruby possibly think that if she's nothing but a sniveling, weak coward who hurt those she loved? Weiss cried harder at the thought.

As Weiss cried for herself and her failed promises, all Ruby could think was how to get Weiss to stop crying. She had an idea. Slowly, Ruby began to kiss Weiss' tear streaked cheeks. Weiss was a little surprised at the soft, gentle kisses.

"Wha- *sniff* what are you d-doing?", Weiss asked tearfully. Why was she doing this for her? She didn't deserve anything more from Ruby. Her touch was more than she deserved to feel any more. Maybe she should run away. She couldn't take her life, since she would never see Ruby again. If she ran away, then she could at least watch form a distance.

"When people are hurt, it helps to kiss where it hurts.", Ruby said with childlike sincerity. Her simple wisdom started to put cracks into Weiss' shell of self-pity. Even when faced with a wall of cynicism, Ruby always managed to tear it down, brick by brick.

The pillow was let go by Weiss. She replaced it with Ruby herself. Clutching her tightly, she cried into her shoulder. Weiss now couldn't let go of her.

"Why? W-why do you l-love me-e e-even when I d-don't?!", Weiss asked, demanding an answer. Ruby's love baffled her. Ruby didn't answer, instead guiding her down so they could lie on the bed.

"I h-hate myself! So w-why?! WHY?!", Weiss continued to cry. Her tears were starting to soak Ruby's top. The dark patch grew as Weiss cried harder. Ruby still refused to answer.

"My m-mom and d-dad hate m-me! Ev-veryone does! W-why don't-t Y-YOU-U?!", Weiss shouted into Ruby's shoulder. Ruby gently held Weiss by the arms and guided her to meet her gaze. Now Weiss realized that Ruby's eyes were also red and tear filled. She had been silently crying with her. Now she felt bad about wanting to run away from a hurting Ruby.

"Because I choose to.", Ruby whispered.

Weiss buried her face in Ruby's chest when she heard that declaration. Even if it was only one person, having someone love her was all that Weiss needed. All that pain, all that suffering she felt was worth it as long as someone understood her. No, she WOULDN'T run away. But still, one thing baffled Weiss.

"B-but why d-do you choose t-to?", Weiss asked, her choking voice muffled by Ruby's shirt. Ruby began to run her hand through Weiss' silver hair. It was softer than what Ruby thought was possible.

"Because… I don't know. Does it really matter? I just do.", Ruby posed to Weiss. Love was easy and confusing at the same time. Love itself was an easy feeling, but explaining it plainly was beyond the realm of possibility. It didn't really matter though. If the feelings were real, that's all that mattered.

Weiss' mind raced through what Ruby's words had meant. Sure, it sounded simple, but there was more underneath the words. It wasn't a just a justification, but it was also a declaration: a declaration never to leave, a declaration to shoulder the burden of doubt, and a declaration to completely understand one another.

The sobs coming out of Weiss' mouth eventually slowed down, so that she was just left sniffling instead. Wiping away stray tears, Weiss was still confused, even though she was feeling a little better now.

"B-but I'm a coward! I-I'm sneaky, and mean! How could you love anybody like that?", Weiss asked.

"Oh Weiss. You're you. That's all I need to know.", explained Ruby. She held her head closer to her chest. It was warm, being there in that moment. It wasn't just the heat coming from Ruby's body. It was the warmth of knowing that her pain and her love were noticed. It was warmth coming from the soul. It was the warmth of a sacred oath. That warmth washed over any doubts Weiss had about Ruby.

It didn't matter how much she cried, begged, or bled. Ruby would always accept Weiss no matter what. Weiss finally believed that she could do the same. Sure, that thought was always at the back of her mind, but now she truly understood what it meant. Love flowed both ways. Even if they didn't share a touch, Ruby and Weiss would still understand how each other felt.

Weiss met Ruby's gaze. Reaching behind Ruby's head, Weiss pulled her closer into a kiss. Weiss' trembling lips met with Ruby's soft mouth. Even though it was the briefest of kisses, it said what words couldn't express. The aura of their souls bridged the gap between each other, finally melding into one. It was the perfect moment. Even if the sun died, or the fragments of the moon crashed onto Remnant, everything would be okay. Their feelings were real. And, if they were real, then their lives were lived well. All was right in the world for Weiss and Ruby.

"You know, I really wanted to run away.", Weiss said with a distant chuckle. It was if she was thinking of a foolish memory.

"But now…", Weiss continued, "I can't imagine being without you.", Weiss whispered to Ruby.

"Weiss…", Ruby breathed out. She was just in awe of this woman in her arms. No, no, Weiss was not a girl. Instead of running away, her fears were faced. Weiss was now a woman.

"You know… I… really didn't know what love was.", Ruby explained. "But… ever since we met… ever since you became my friend…", Ruby began to choke up. "E-ever since you said you l-loved me…".

Ruby paused. She was having a hard time trying not to cry again. Her body failed her as tears started to fall down her soft face.

"I… I think I always cared about you.", Ruby managed to squeak out between tears. Ruby held Weiss tighter. She buried her nose in Weiss' scalp as she started to cry. Not all tears were sad. Tears can be wonderful, loving things.

Ruby let go and smiled a warm smile at Weiss. "I think we ought to go.", Ruby suggested. She then chuckled. "This isn't even our room!".

Weiss, laughed along with Ruby. It was kind of funny, actually. She had always thought the vocal validation of their love would be someplace special. But, it was in a room she rarely ever visited, if at all.

Getting out of the bed, Weiss offered a hand to Ruby. She smiled at her and said, "Come on, you dolt… Let's go.". Even if Ruby was a dolt, she was Weiss' dolt. She wouldn't have any other way.

Ruby took her hand and wouldn't let go. Weiss' hand fit perfectly with hers. It felt like silk against her palm. To Ruby, it was one of the finest treasures imaginable. Weiss' touch was worth more than silver, more than all the time in the world.

Holding hands, Weiss and Ruby exited team JNPR's room.

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><p>Blake had explained what had caused this whole episode to Jaune and Pyrrha while waiting in the hallway. She was ashamed that her petty actions resulted in her friends having breakdowns. While Pyrrha said that Blake was in the wrong, she also noted that as long as she was sorry, she could redeem herself.<p>

So, when Ruby and Weiss exited the room holding hands, Blake rushed over to their side immediately.

"Ruby. Weiss. I know whatever I say can't exactly make up for what I did. But, please, forgive me. I'll let you do whatever punishment that you feel fits.", Blake offered to the both of them. She hung her head down low. Her pride was wounded. Maybe her penance would redeem herself.

Ruby and Weiss looked at each other, and then laughed. Blake really looked confused right about now. Pyrrha and Jaune just grinned. They guessed that everything turned out fine in there.

"Oh, Blake.", Ruby said, her laughs turning into low giggles, "It's fine, it's fine. Just… talk to us more, alright?". Ruby had forgiven Blake. Weiss would agree with her, if she wasn't still laughing at the irony. Her biggest blow up so far had brought her and Ruby closer together.

"Come on.", Ruby ordered to Blake. RWB walked back into their room. As Pyrrha and Jaune walked back into their room, both couldn't help but feel glad for their friends. Things were starting to look up.

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><p>When Blake walked into the room, she expected to be forgiven by Yang as well. She couldn't be more wrong. Instead of being greeted with a smile, she was greeted by a fist imbedding itself in the side of her head. Her punch must have been enhanced with her aura, since Blake was sent flying across the room, literally knocked out of her socks.<p>

"What the HELL?! You make my sis cry, and you think you can just WALTZ back in here?!", Yang shouted at the barely conscious Blake. Just as she started to stomp over to finish the deed, Yang was stopped by Ruby. She rushed in front of her sister, her arms held wide. Ruby waved her arms furiously.

"No! No! Don't kill her! It's fine now! It's FINE!", Ruby pleaded.

"But she hurt you! Get out of the way!", Yang demanded, ready to cripple Blake. Maybe then she would have a good idea what it was like to be paralyzed. Yang didn't notice Weiss until it was too late.

Weiss had put Yang in a head lock, making her unable to use her fists. Yang tried to shake Weiss off, but the struggle was useless. Eventually, she just wore herself out. Now Yang just felt plain tired. You know, a lot happened today. Maybe she should just slow down a bit.

Once Ruby saw that Yang was giving in, she motioned for Weiss to let go. Tired, she fell to the ground, tired. Yang dragged herself over to the nearest chair and sat down. Blake, who by now had regained her senses, picked up her socks and shoes and staggered over to her bunk.

Sitting down, Blake stared at the wall for a few minutes in silence. Eventually, she said, "No thanks, teriyaki pencil case dad mop.". Then she slumped over, out like a light. Apparently, that blow did something to her brain.

Nobody was too concerned. They had suffered worse wounds. Plus, given all the crap she had been pulling recently, Yang and Weiss thought Blake had that punch coming to her. But, now that Blake had fallen unconscious, the others felt their energy failing them as well. The rest of the team decided to turn in early. The afternoon sun was starting to dip below the horizon, anyway.

Once the team (sans Blake), changed into their night clothes, they settled into their sleeping positions. As Ruby crawled into Weiss' bed, Yang couldn't help but question that action.

"Err, what do you think you're doing?", Yang asked. Sure, just because she wouldn't attack the couple, doesn't mean that she couldn't question what they did.

Ruby blushed as soon as she was caught. Thinking quickly, she tried to downplay her actions.

"Oh, I'm just staying with my girlfriend.", Ruby explained. A small smile crossed Weiss' face. It was nice to be acknowledged as her girlfriend.

Yang eyed the pair, and looked like she was about to say something. But then she closed her mouth and relaxed. She had reconsidered her comment. Then, she decided to try a different response.

"Just don't do anything TOO bad, okay?", advised Yang. She then crept under her covers, read to sleep.

As Weiss settled into a comfortable position on her side, she felt Ruby slink her arm under hers. She wanted to hold onto Weiss while she slept. It was as if she was Ruby's personal safety blanket. Weiss didn't mind. If anything, she felt the same way.

Ruby's warm breath tickled the nape of Weiss' neck. Her breath sent a small tingle down Weiss spine. She was so glad that she could be with Ruby. Sighing with contentment, Weiss whispered, "I love you, Ruby.".

Ruby buried her head in the back of Weiss' neck and deeply inhaled. Weiss' scent was comforting. It reminded Ruby of the smell of peppermint. Weiss smelled like home. She hugged Weiss closer.

"Love you too.", Ruby mumbled, as the veil of sleep started to cover her eyes.

The lovers drifted off into sleep, where they could play and love in the land of dreams.

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><p><strong>Aww, doesn't that just warm the hole where your heart should be? Or is that just me? Anyway, get ready for some more coming to you soon! And be sure to keep on sending in those reviews! This is The Draigg, signing off currently.<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Not Exactly Blameless

**Heyyyoooo! It's The Draigg here again, with a new chapter for you guys, the loyal readers! Now, I've said it time and time again, but Monty Oum owns RWBY, not I. I don't own anything, really. It's sad, but true. Anyway, let's just get to the story now. Be cautioned, this chapter has a little lemon zest.**

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><p>Tuesdays were one of Team RWBY's favorite days. They didn't have any classes in the morning at all. That meant all of them could sleep in and relax for a little while longer. So, the whole team was still lying in bed at seven thirty in the morning.<p>

Ruby's mind stirred around that time. Man, this warm pillow was soft. It felt really smooth under her hands. Enjoying the feeling, she ran her hands over the pillow. Weird, there were two buttons there. Ruby had never heard of a pillow with buttons on it before. That's odd, that pillow was also breathing too. Wait, a breathing pillow? Ruby opened her eyes.

Weiss' body was underneath Ruby's. Apparently, Ruby had rolled over on top of Weiss while she was sleeping. As if that wasn't bad enough, Ruby was currently groping Weiss' small chest. Ruby's face went as red as the gem she was named after.

"_Oh man oh man oh man. What should I do?_", Ruby thought frantically. If she tried to roll off of Weiss, she might accidentally wake her up. But, if she didn't move, Weiss might get angry, since she was currently fondling her breasts. Ruby was frozen with indecision.

Now that she thought about it, Weiss' small breasts fit perfectly in her hands. As Weiss' breathed, she could feel her nipples press through the fabric of her nightgown. It was increasingly apparent to Ruby that Weiss wasn't wearing a bra under there. Ruby tried to move her left hand, but she stopped when Weiss' breath briefly hitched. She could feel Weiss' nipple grow a little stiffer under her hands.

Ruby was now a little curious. She knew that could happen if you were cold or if a baby needed to be nursed. But if she could intentionally stimulate that, how would Weiss react to more? Her fascination growing, Ruby began to move her hands in small circles of Weiss' pert breasts.

The expression on Weiss' face changed. It looked like some tension was building up. Licking her lips in her sleep, Weiss breath became a little more labored.

Weiss began make small, cute noises. "Eep!", went Weiss as Ruby pushed her hand down a little harder.

Hearing that, Ruby wanted to listen to more of her noises. She didn't know why, but the sound Weiss was making was making her feel a little funny in her private area. Ruby shifted around, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, Ruby's agitated movements woke Weiss up. She had been having an odd dream. She and Ruby were playing a board game while wearing elegant, century old dresses. Just as Ruby was about to lose, she suddenly pulled down Weiss' top and started to play with her chest. It felt really good, too. But then for some reason, she was pulled out of her dream. Then, she saw the reason why.

Ruby was lying on top of her, with her hands rested firmly on her chest. A drying stream of drool was on the corner of Ruby's mouth. As Weiss stared at Ruby, Ruby stared back.

"Umm… good morning?", Ruby said, trying to avoid an awkward scenario. She had a look on her face that reminded Weiss of a five year old caught sneaking a cookie out of a jar.

"Ruby… why are you on top of me? And, more pressing, why are you groping me?", Weiss asked in a flat, tired tone. It was too early in the morning to start doing this type of stuff.

"Oh! Well… uh… geez, Weiss…", sputtered Ruby. There wasn't an excuse she could come up with in time.

A sigh came out of Ruby's mouth. "I just woke up like this…", she mumbled. Ruby could see that Weiss was having a hard time believing her.

"No, I'm serious!", Ruby said as she protested Weiss' look. "I must have crawled on top when we were asleep!".

Weiss grabbed Ruby's hands and put them at her sides. Shaking her head, she said, "Look, we can do that later. But, just be sure to tell me, okay?". Groaning, Weiss tried to sit up. In response, Ruby moved off of Weiss and sat to the side of the bed.

"Urrgghhhh… What time is it?", Weiss asked half awake, rubbing her eyes.

"Umm… seven thirty… ish?", Ruby replied.

"Are you asking me, or are you telling me?", Weiss shot back.

"I'm telling you!", Ruby replied almost immediately. In her curious state, she had forgotten an important rule with Weiss: don't mess around this early unless she's had her coffee. Thinking quickly, Ruby got up and headed over to the corner where all of their drinks were kept. Digging through all the empty cans of Abomination, Ruby managed to find a lukewarm can of coffee. Walking back over to the bed, Weiss held out her hand expectantly.

Taking the can from Ruby's hand, Weiss chugged it in one fell gulp. Taking aim, she then flung the can at the overflowing trash can. She really wasn't that different from Yang when it came to certain things.

Feeling the caffeine flow through her veins, Weiss began to fully wake up. Climbing out of bed, she gave a large yawn and stretched. She started to walk towards Ruby, but then she tripped over something. Looking around, Weiss saw that she tripped over Blake's boot. That's right! Yang pretty much knocked her out yesterday. That got Weiss' concern.

"Ruby, help me wake up Blake. We should take her to the Medical Ward.", Weiss ordered as she got up.

"Whaa? Why?", Ruby asked, confused.

"She could have a major concussion. Yang did hit her pretty hard, after all.", Weiss explained slowly. Leaping to Weiss' aid, Ruby began to shake Blake's shoulder.

"Blake! Wake up! We have to take you to the hospital!", Ruby yelled. Apparently, Weiss wanted to be a little more discreet, as evidenced when she poked Ruby in the ribs.

"Sshhh! People are sleeping!", Weiss harshly whispered.

"Not anymore…", came a voice from the top bunk. Unsurprisingly, Ruby's shouts had woken up Yang.

Yang swung her legs over the edge of the bed and hopped down. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, "What's with all the noise?".

"Blake might have a concussion. We're going to get her help at the Medical Ward.", Weiss bluntly stated. Then, Yang remembered last evening.

"_Oh, yeah. I hit Blake in the head pretty hard, didn't I?_", she thought to herself.

All of this noise had woken up Blake. That punch must have killed a lot of brain cells, since she started to act really weird.

Blake shot up out of bed, and started to stare at Yang intensely, their faces only an inch apart. After a moment of silence, she poked Yang on the nose and giggled.

"Boop!", Blake announced, her voice filled with pride. How the hell had Nora rubbed off on Blake?! This action really got the others concerned.

"Uhh… how do we get her there?", Yang asked, right before Blake hit her over the head with a pillow.

"Come on, you guys! Isn't this a fun slumber party, or what?!", Blake yelled as she kept on hitting Yang with a pillow. Yang tried to block the blows without countering them. She didn't need to make that head injury worse.

Meanwhile, Ruby's mind was racing. So, they needed to get Blake to help, but she was convinced that she was at a slumber party. Slumber party… what do people do at slumber parties… Then it hit her! She had an idea!

"Blake! Want to play a fun game!", Ruby announced.

"Yeah!", Blake cheered as she dropped the pillow and sat on the floor, cross legged. She had a look of wonder in her amber eyes. If this wasn't because of head trauma, Ruby would like to hang out with THIS Blake a little more.

"Okay, We…", Ruby gestured to the others, "Are going to make you fly.".

"Wow! Really?!", Blake said, trying to contain her excitement. Wow! That's incredible! Were her friends secretly magic?!

"Great! But, we need you to lay down with your eyes closed. We just need to talk about what spell to use.", Ruby explained. Blake nodded enthusiastically, and closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. This was going to be AWESOME!

Ruby turned to the others and whispered to them. "We can pick her up and carry her to the Medical Ward. But, we need to do it now, okay?", Ruby explained. This is where her leadership skills shone through. The others nodded in agreement. This was a good plan. The others crowed around Blake, ready to carry her.

"Klattu barada niktu!", Ruby mumbled some made up magic words. Blake was having a hard time keeping her excitement contained. She was really going to start flying!

RWY picked up Blake and carried her down the room. Good thing it was early in the morning, so no many people could see three disheveled girls in their pajamas carrying their team mate, who was covering her eyes and grinning like a loon.

* * *

><p>"<em>We really should have changed before we left<em>.", Weiss complained to herself as she was carrying Blake on the walkway to the Medical Ward. While she had no mind helping a friend, she did have some objections to her current state. She felt like an exhibitionist, walking out in public wearing nothing but her nightgown. She knew that her nipples were poking through, since Ruby kept on looking at them. The two lovers couldn't stop blushing. Yang would laugh, but she had to stay quiet to keep up the charade. Blake, however, kept on talking.

"Wow, it's so cool outside! I wonder what the temp is!", Blake gushed, still covering her eyes.

That cool temperature certainly wasn't helping Weiss and Ruby's current position. Ruby just couldn't stop staring at Weiss' chest. She had nearly tripped about five times because of it. Somehow, Weiss' chest was pretty mesmerizing. Ruby didn't really know why, though. She tried to shake some unclean thoughts out of her head. She needed to get Blake help, darn it!

Weiss could see the Medical Ward approaching on the distance. Thank goodness, too! If she had to endure this torture any more, she just might break. She was glad to get there, even if it took about twenty minutes.

* * *

><p>Waiting in the lobby was an odd experience. When Blake opened her eyes, she was amazed that she had 'flown' to the Medical Ward. Ruby then came up with an excuse that she was here to meet some sorcerers who specialized in healing. Blake was bouncing up and down in her seat, excited to meet those doctor-wizards.<p>

Yang was watching a re-run of some game show on the television that sat in the corner of the waiting room. Holy shit, this was an odd experience. First her lover was convinced she was at a magic slumber party, and now she's waiting in a hospital in her pajamas. If there was a talking swan in the corner making sandwiches, then it would be almost exactly like a dream she had once.

Weiss was still blushing, constantly shoving down the hem of her nightgown. She was thoroughly embarrassed. "_Why me? It's indecent to be out in public dressed like this! Actually, it feels kind of goo—NO IT DOES NOT!_". No, she wasn't some lewd exhibitionist! She couldn't be! It wasn't right to be exposed in public, with Ruby wanting to fondle her breasts, to kiss the nape of her neck, with everyone watching as th—STOP THAT!

As Weiss was having a crisis with her sexual preferences, Ruby was busy trying to convince the person at the desk to let them in quick.

"Come on! She's hurt!", Ruby pleaded.

The secretary was having none of it. "Like I already said, wait in the lobby until your number is called.", she said, completely uninterested.

Ruby glanced around the room. Literally nobody else was in the room except the secretary and Team RWBY.

"There's nobody here!", protested Ruby.

"Do you want to get kicked out?", asked the secretary rhetorically, not looking up from her computer.

Ruby got the message. Dejectedly, she walked over to her team and sat next to Weiss.

"It's going to be a while.", Ruby reported to her.

Weiss sighed and clutched at her hem tighter. "_Maybe I should just pull it up—NO._", is what shew was currently thinking. She wasn't raised to be some creepy pervert!

The others remained unaware at Weiss' interior struggle.

Finally, after waiting for about forty-five minutes, the team was called into an examination room. There, the examining nurse started asking about Blake's health history.

"So, can you tell me exactly why you brought her here today?", asked the nurse, preparing his clipboard.

"Well…", Yang stated, "There was some… dispute. It ended with her getting punched in the head. When she woke up, she was like… this.". Currently, Blake was waving around a tongue depressor as if were a magic wand. She was also occasionally pointing it at random things and saying "Zap!".

"Okay…", the nurse said, writing on a sheet of paper. "Has she received any major blows to the head before?", he asked.

Team RWBY fell silent as they tried to remember all the times Blake had gotten hit in the head. They were too embarrassed to say. None of them were exactly blameless when it came to giving Blake horrible head injuries.

Ruby cringed at a memory:

* * *

><p>"Ruby, just adjust your grip like I told you! Don't try anything fancy!", Weiss advised.<p>

Ruby had gotten into her head that she could become a member of Beacon's Golf Team. Currently, the entire team was gathered in the field near the gardens. They were helping Ruby practice. Or rather, Weiss was. Blake was reading a book, and Yang was surfing the web on her scroll.

Ruby felt pretty confident in her (non-existent) skills. "I got this!", she cried out.

Winding back to hit the ball on the grass, Ruby didn't really heed Weiss' advice. So, when she tried to hit the ball, the club went flying out of her hands.

It did, however, manage to hit something as it sailed through the air: Blake's forehead. She was knocked out cold when the club hit her.

* * *

><p>Weiss was feeling embarrassed at a memory that was similar to Ruby's:<p>

* * *

><p>Team RWBY had been rowing a small boat down a stream. Apparently, Ruby thought his would be a good 'team building exercise'. Weiss naturally disagreed. Being stuck in the mud with mosquitos swarming at you wasn't her idea of a good time.<p>

So, when they finally got to shore, Weiss was too angry to pay attention to her surroundings.

"Wow, isn't this place great!", Ruby exclaimed as she climbed out of the boat.

Weiss whipped around to face Ruby. "No, it isn't!", she declared. "It smells and it's hot! How is any of this great!".

Unfortunately for Blake, she was standing right behind Weiss when she turned around. Plus, Weiss was also carrying one of their boat paddles. Of course, the blunt end collided with the back of Blake's head.

Nobody really noticed Blake face down in the mud until a few minutes later, after they were done arguing.

* * *

><p>Yang was also recalling a painful memory:<p>

* * *

><p>Blake had a real nasty habit of sneaking up and scaring Yang whenever they visited the library. Given that Blake was an avid reader, this was an incredibly often scenario. However, this time she had gotten the drop on Blake.<p>

Sneaking up behind Blake, Yang grabbed a heavy book.

"Hey! Think fast!", she called out.

Yang thought that since Blake was a cat Faunus, she would use her reflexes to catch the book. She was wrong. Instead, the book collided with the side of her face when she turned to look at Yang.

It was a pretty heavy book, too. Who knew _The History of the Third Age_ was so extensive?

* * *

><p>"Not really.", all of them lied to the nurse at the same time.<p>

Writing down what they had told him, the nurse then decided to check Blake's eyes with a penlight.

"Fairies! I KNEW it!", cheered Blake. Apparently, that light was a fairy in her mind.

The nurse then turned to the others.

"Just as I thought. She has a pretty severe concussion. Now, we can get her back to normal, but it'll take a few days. But, we'll stimulate her aura to help her healing along.", the attending nurse reported.

"Great!", said Ruby, as she walked over to the door, ready to leave.

"Wait.", commanded the nurse. "All of you need to fill out the proper forms before you leave here.". He then reached into a drawer and pulled out a large stack of papers. Dumping them on a nearby counter, he said:

"Now, there are pens at the front desk. If you want your friend…", he paused to look at the clipboard, "…Blake to get the proper help, you need to fill all this out.".

The team collectively gulped at the mountain of paperwork. This was clearly going to take a while. Resigned to her fate, Ruby picked up the stack of papers and walked back into the lobby. Dejectedly, the others followed.

* * *

><p>About two hours later, the paperwork had mostly gotten filled out. For some reason, the sapient being related health forms were much more extensive than Grimm related ones. Apparently, HumanFaunus attacks were more of an insurance liability than creatures of darkness. Go figure.

The team sat there, their hands cramped from all of that writing. After finally finishing the form about berry allergies, Ruby stood up out of her chair.

"I'm done.", she declared, tired from all of that paperwork. The others nodded, and handed their finished work to Ruby. Ruby then walked over to the front desk and dumped all of the papers into the collection slot.

The others joined Ruby as she walked out of the door.

Outside, the walkways were bustling with student activity, as they moved from one class to another. Looking at a nearby clock, Ruby saw that it was past twelve already. Realizing this, the team's hearts collectively sunk. If one could slow down footage of the group, they could see the exact moment they realized they were completely screwed over.

Not only had they missed their class, but they were stuck halfway across the campus from their dorm room, still in their pajamas. They couldn't call anyone, since they left their scrolls there as well. On top of all that, Ruby messaged the others yesterday before going to bed to talk about the show around one o'clock at the cafeteria. One clear thought ran through each of Team RWY's minds:

Today was going to suck.

HARD.

* * *

><p><strong>Who doesn't love pajama cliffhangers? I certainly do! I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. Be sure to stay tuned for more, same website, some time! And be sure to tell me what you think so far in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off and out.<strong>


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Afternoon That Sucked

**Wassup, readers? It's your pal, The Draigg, here again! I hope you've gotten your eyes ready, since I've got another chapter for ya! Now, be advised that I don't own RWBY, or any other things I mention. Also, it might get a little saucy here. Now that we have the legal stuff out of the way, let's get started!**

* * *

><p>Today wasn't being kind to Ruby, Weiss, and Yang. Ever since they dropped Blake off at the Medical Ward while in their pajamas, the group had to avoid large groups of students. None of them could live down the shame they felt. Currently, the group was hiding behind some bushes, trying to figure out a way to get past some students.<p>

Weiss was beyond embarrassment. She was only wearing her thin nightgown. To make things worse, she wasn't wearing a bra, either. No, Weiss wasn't embarrassed. She was LIVID. How the hell did this weird stuff keep on happening to her? Plus, it didn't help that she was starting to LIKE feeling a little exposed. She wasn't a pervert, damn it!

"Ruby!", Weiss whispered harshly. "Give me your pants!". Weiss didn't care if Ruby got exposed. If this kept up, Weiss might have an embarrassing 'crisis' along the way.

Naturally, Ruby was shocked. A deep blush crossed her nose. "No way! Nuh-uh!", Ruby whispered back. She clutched at her cotton sleeping pants as if they were some kind of shield.

"Come on! I can't stand being like this!", Weiss complained. She crawled towards Ruby menacingly. Ruby tried to crawl away, but her back hit the bushes. As Weiss crept after her, Ruby tried kicking her legs to drive her off.

Now Ruby was cornered. This was Weiss' chance! Just as she was about to pounce on her, she was stopped by Yang's hand grabbing her leg.

"Will you two cut it out?!", Yang half-whispered, half-yelled. While this little pant theft scenario was going on, they had missed a chance to sneak past the mob of students. Now, they would have to wait for another opportunity.

Weiss gave a huff of annoyance when she was let go. At least Yang and Ruby were wearing shorts and pants, respectively. Sure, Weiss normally wore a skirt, but she felt way more exposed in her nightgown. But man, that breeze felt great in-between her legs. It sent a small shiver up her back. Weiss tried to think of something that calm down her libido.

"_Old men, shuffleboard, cough medicine, cold rain, Ruby's touch—damn it!_", Weiss thought. Man, she was having a hard time controlling herself. She just wanted to get this day over with already.

Another break in the stream of students appeared. Giving a signal to follow, Yang dashed over to the nearest door. Ruby and Weiss sprinted after her. Once they entered the building, they realized they had entered the Main Hall. Luckily, it was usually empty during class time. Ruby turned to face Yang and Weiss.

"Okay team, we've to two options: we can head over to the cafeteria to meet the others, or we can get our clothes from our ro—oh, poopie!", Ruby cursed.

"What is it?", Yang asked.

"I… umm…", Ruby mumbled, pushing her fingers together, "… I kinda forgot to take off the auto-lock on our door…".

Somehow, everyone's heart dropped even further. If you were to see it, it would be resting between their kidneys. That meant they couldn't change, not now. That left one choice. Specifically, the one they were trying to avoid doing. With their heads hung low, Team RWY started walking in the direction of the Cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Team JNPR plus Velvet were waiting at their usual table in the Cafeteria. All of them had gotten a message from Ruby, saying that she wanted to talk to them about the show at lunch. But where was she? Ruby was about twenty minutes late at this point.<p>

Ren was absent mindedly gazing around, picking at his chanpuru when he saw Ruby, followed by Weiss and Yang still in their night clothes, quietly go through the door. Ren thought about having a reaction, but then decided against it. There was weird stuff constantly happening at Beacon, which meant he couldn't possibly react to everything. Instead, he announced to the others, "They're here.".

At Ren's even voice, the others looked to where he nodded his head. Naturally, when Team RWY walked up to the table, they all got some weird stares (except for Nora).

"Aww man, why didn't anyone tell me it was Pajama Day?", Nora complained. Ren put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "It isn't?", asked Nora.

"No.", Ren flatly replied. That got a frown form Nora. Oh well, she was a big girl. She could deal with it.

"Sorry we're late…", apologized Ruby as she sat down.

"Do you want to explain… this?", Velvet asked, gesturing to Team RWY.

"Not particularly.", Weiss mumbled. This was degrading, embarrassing, lewd, perverted, arousing—NO, NOT THAT! Weiss squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She felt like everyone was probing her with her eyes. Yet again, maybe she DID want everyone to watch her. If Ruby were to touch her right now, she would melt in her seat.

Yang just simply rested her face in her hands. How could so much have gone wrong today? And she wouldn't ask how it could get worse. Now she knew it could ALWAYS get worse. She hadn't even gotten to fix her hair before she left! Oh, the humanity of it all!

Pyrrha tried to get everyone on topic. Sure, it was strange that her friends had shown up in their pajamas. But, given how her team mates dressed in bed, this pretty normal. Jaune had his onesie, she had her tank top and shorts, Nora had her plush pajama set, and Ren had his… wrappings.

"So, what do you want to talk to us about?", Pyrrha asked.

"Well, I was just going to hand you guys the list of songs I was planning on using…", Ruby said. The others looked expectantly.

"… But I left that in my room.", finished Ruby, mumbling.

"That's fine, Ruby. Is there anything else you can tell us now?", Velvet asked.

"What I CAN tell you right now is… you're doing a great job?", offered Ruby. To be honest, she had left all of her important musical stuff back at the room.

"We haven't done anything yet.", Ren pointed out. He wasn't even looking at her as he said that. Ren seemed way more invested in picking at his champuru.

Ruby slumped down in her seat. This wasn't going well. She had to salvage this talk, otherwise this embarrassing adventure would be worth absolutely nothing. Then, an idea hit her.

"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you guys! We've got a location now!", Ruby announced, perking up. At least that bit of news was worth something.

"It's at that field near the gardens!", Ruby said, puffing her chest. She felt proud that she thought of something to talk about.

"That's great!", Jaune agreed. He was fully on board with this plan. Outdoor concerts were always cool, no matter what anybody else thought.

"And it's all thanks to Weiss and Velvet!", Ruby cheered. Velvet smiled at the words of gratitude. Weiss would have felt the same way, if Ruby hadn't put her arm around her.

Weiss went absolutely stiff as Ruby touched her. Her mind was racing at the speed of light at Ruby's contact.

"_It happened! In public! Yes! I want more! I WANT MORE!_", went Weiss' thoughts.

Weiss tried not to drool. This felt WAY too good. It almost felt the same as when Ruby laid with her that one night. It felt like someone started a fire in her chest. Weiss was trying to control her breathing, trying not to give away her arousal to the others. She could feel her panties starting to grow warmer. That made it even worse (and better) to her.

Luckily, everyone else was paying more attention to Ruby as she kept on talking:

"Plus, I'm sure I can just send you guys the lists anyway.", she concluded. She withdrew her hand from Weiss, who slumped where she sat. She looked a little tired, for some reason.

Yang clasped her hands. "So, is anyone hungry? I sure am. ", she said. Turning to Weiss, she asked, "You mind getting us something?".

Weiss' head shot up as she heard her name. Then, with Yang's words sank in, she blushed and looked down at her lap.

"I, uh, can't.", she mumbled. Her blush grew.

"Huh? Why can't you?", Ruby asked. Following Weiss' gaze, she saw what she was talking about. Ohhhh… now she understood. She guessed (correctly) that Weiss had the thing when you were attracted to something other than a person. What were those things called again? Something starting with an 'F'? Whatever, that wasn't important right now.

"Never mind, I'll get it.", Ruby said fast, getting up. She walked away, looking ready to come back quickly.

"Huh. Whatever.", Yang said, as she turned her attention to Velvet and Team JNPR.

"So, were you guys thinking about costumes?", Pyrrha asked. She was rather proud of her work last time.

"Not really. But, knowing Blake and her pop songs, she would insist on it.", Yang replied.

"What kind of pop?", Jaune asked.

"Hell if I know. I don't even understand the language. All it sounds like is… sugary, I guess.", Yang thought out loud.

Ren knew immediately what Yang was talking about. That send a signal of annoyance up to his brain and out of his mouth.

"Okay, so you get to use foreign pop, but I can't do kabuki theater?", Ren said with a hint of venom in his voice. His statement got groans from the others.

"Look, Ren, I know it's a part of your culture and all, but you just can't have sex in public. Especially on stage.", explained Jaune. Velvet and Pyrrha nodded in agreement.

"Y-yeah.", Weiss sputtered. She was in absolutely NO position to talk. However, she did consider looking into this 'kabuki theater' thing. Maybe she could Ruby into it, whatever it was.

Jaune's explanation had gotten a rare expression of anger out of Ren. He smacked his fist on the table, sending his utensils flying.

"It's not some weird sex thing, damn it! What is WITH you people and sex, anyway?! You know what? I don't need this.", Ren ranted. He shot up from the table and stormed off.

Concerned for Ren, Nora followed close behind him. Maybe he just needed a massage. She had tried acupuncture before, but Ren kept on insisting that her method actually blocked his chakras even worse. And hey, massages could lead to… other things. Nora picked up her pace as she went through the door.

Ruby walked back up to the table, carrying a few plates of food on a tray. She had gotten grilled eel for Yang, chilled shitake mushrooms for Weiss, and sugar cookies for herself. When she placed the plates in front of their intended eaters, they gave Ruby odd looks. They were nothing compared to the looks Ruby got while in line.

"You didn't tell me what you wanted!", Ruby said in her defense.

The others sighed, and started to eat. Mushrooms weren't one of Weiss' favorite foods. She had no idea where Ruby had gotten the idea that she liked them. And chilled? What kind of person eats mushrooms with ice cubes? Weiss really wondered if all those nutritionists that the school hired were actually con artists.

Yang, on the other hand, had no problem eating the eel. It didn't taste too bad, anyway. It helped that the eel was smothered in garlic and herbs. Plus, she had eaten worse things on dares before. Yang remembered the time she had eaten some gum she found under a bench on a bet. That was an easy twenty lien.

And of course, Ruby enjoyed her cookies. She was thankful every day that the desert bar was always open. She always had Weiss watch over her nutrition, so whenever Ruby had the chance to get what she liked, she took it. She didn't even care if she got a toothache or brain freeze. It was always worth the risk.

"Hey, where did Ren and Nora go?", asked Ruby.

"Oh, he got upset over his sex show thing.", Yang explained. Ruby brushed off the answer. Whatever other cultures did was their business alone. Everyone continued to eat in silence.

* * *

><p>Once Team RWY finished their lunches with varying degrees of satisfaction, they prepared to leave. Or, at least Ruby and Yang did. Weiss refused to move from her seat.<p>

"Come on, just get up, Weiss.", pleaded Ruby. Weiss' thing starting with an 'F' must have worn off by now, right?

"I'm fine, really.", Weiss stated for the fifth time. That was a lie. Ever since Ruby had touched her, she knew that she was sitting on some of her arousal. She didn't want the others to find out. It was better to keep her secret thrills to herself.

"Stop being difficult, damn it!", Yang said as she grabbed Weiss by the arm and jerked her out of her seat. Then, she understood why Weiss didn't want to get up. Yang had a good idea how Weiss was feeling. Blake had gone through a brief exhibitionism phase before, and that was way messier than this. At least this was manageable.

Pushing Weiss behind her, Yang made some quick excuses to the others.

"I'm glad we got to talk. We'll do it later, okay? See ya, bye.", shot out Yang quickly. With that, she whisked Ruby and Weiss out of the door with her. Boy, did Ruby pick quite the girl to fall for. The others blinked, confused. What was the deal with that?

* * *

><p>Out in the hallway, Team RWY had no idea where to go. They couldn't go back into their room right now, since it was locked on accident. And they couldn't go to their classes, being that they didn't have their books. Or, proper clothes, for that matter. They tried to weigh their options. That was hard, considering the awkward atmosphere that hung around them. Weiss getting turned on in public was weird for everyone involved.<p>

"So… does that happen often?", Yang asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't want to talk about it…", mumbled Weiss, embarrassed. She wouldn't stop looking at the ground. It was absolutely dirty what she did, yet she loved it. Maybe being stuck around her estate when she was younger made her more excited when she finally got out in public. That was probably the reason she liked what she did.

Hoping to change the subject, Ruby swiftly asked, "What should we do?".

"Well, we can't go to our classes. Even if we showed up with the proper stuff, we would still have missed a lot. I don't see a point in going today at all.", Yang thought out loud.

As much as Weiss was inclined to disagree, she had to admit the busty boxer had a point. They would have to make up the lessons regardless. Oh well, she could afford to take a small hit on her grades, even if she didn't like it. She was sure that her parents didn't check her grades, anyway. They probably didn't care.

"I think we should try to break into our room.", Ruby suggested. It wasn't like they had much of a choice anymore. Ruby had simply voiced what everyone was thinking of.

"Then let's just go.", Weiss said, immediately heading in the direction of the dorms. Her gaze never left the ground. Seeing no better options, Yang and Ruby followed her.

* * *

><p>Luckily for them, the dorms could be easily accessed from the cafeteria. They didn't have to do as much sneaking as before. But, that didn't mean that it was quick. By the time they got there, it was the middle of the afternoon.<p>

Facing the door to their room, a thought hit all of them at the same time: they had no actual plan to break in.

"Uhh, how do we do this?", Ruby asked. She had no good ideas. To be fair, nobody did.

Yang tried the first thing that came to mind: punching the hell out of the door. However, on her third blow, she remembered that replacing school property was expensive. That's why Team CRDL all had to get part time jobs. All of that furniture they kept on breaking cost a lot. And it most certainly wasn't theirs to break.

Once she saw that punches wouldn't work, Ruby tried to brainstorm some ideas. Looking around, she saw a vent. Wait, she had an idea! Man, playing all those stealth games was starting to pay off.

Walking over to the vent, she reached up and pulled the grate out of the frame. "We could crawl through here.", Ruby suggested.

"I'm not sure that would work, Rubes.", Yang skeptically replied.

"I agree with her.", said Weiss.

"Trust me. Our room has air conditioning. All we need to do is climb in there and pop out on the other side! It's genius!", Ruby declared. She was proud of leading the charge like this.

"Even if you can fit in there, I can't.", pointed out Yang. Seeing Ruby's confused look, Yang gestured to her chest. She was too busty to squeeze through.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you two can make it. Just open the door form the other side, okay?", Yang said.

Weiss felt a little insulted at the implications. "I should have you know, having a petite frame isn't bad. Sure, I may be smaller, but it's overall better than having a large figure.", Weiss justified (mostly to herself).

"Yeah, sure. Just get in there, you two.", Yang ordered.

Complying, first Ruby, and then Weiss climbed into the vent.

* * *

><p>Weiss certainly didn't mind the view when she was crawling behind Ruby. But what she did mind was all the dust and just general filthiness of the vent. If she saw a rat, Weiss was sure she would scream. She was hoping Ruby's rear would make up for this disgusting trip.<p>

Ruby was a little excited. She had made a good decision as team leader. And crawling through these vents made her feel like some cool infiltrator of some kind. Maybe she could have a code name!

"_How about Solid Ruby? I like the sound of that!_", Ruby, now Solid Ruby, thought to herself.

Motivated to help her friends, Solid Ruby ventured forward through the vent system. She hoped that Weiss would follow her closely. Ooooh! She should have a code name too!

"Hey, Weiss?", asked Solid Ruby, trying to get the attention of her companion.

"What?", asked Weiss in response, annoyed at how filthy she was getting.

"Mind if I call you Liquid Weiss?", Solid Ruby requested.

"No, you can't.", (not Liquid) Weiss firmly stated. She was a little baffled at the request. What kind of name was that, anyway? At least she didn't ask to call her an emotion of some kind. That would have been lamer than calling her Liquid.

Slightly disappointed, Solid Ruby continued onward. Now she was getting to where vents led into rooms. Getting there had taken longer than she thought it would. Maybe she should report that to the Colonel once she had the chance. Seeing some light pour through a grate, Ruby looked through the opening. It was Team RWBY's room, all right.

"Commencing Operation: Venting Frustration.", Solid Ruby declared to herself. She didn't notice (not Liquid) Weiss groan at the bad pun. She didn't like how Yang had rubbed off on her girlfriend.

Solid Ruby knocked the grate out of the frame and climbed through. She landed near the desk. Getting into a crouching position, Solid Ruby grabbed her scroll of the desk and talked into it.

"Operation complete.", Solid Ruby reported to absolutely nobody. The mission was a success. She had gotten a 'S' ranking in her mind. She stood up, looking proud.

(Not Liquid) Weiss dropped down behind her. "Well, that was tedious", she thought out loud.

"Meh, it wasn't that bad.", Solid Ruby, now just regular Ruby, said. Walking over to the door, she unlocked it for Yang. Yang breathed a sigh of relief when she entered the dorm room. She shifted her gaze to the clock.

"Well, I guess we don't have to change.", Yang stated.

Weiss' face puckered in disagreement. "I'm going to take a shower", she declared. She marched over to the bathroom and shut the door. Ruby and Yang could hear water starting to run. Both shrugged at each other.

Sitting on Blake's bunk, Yang summarized the day so far: "Well, today was a thing.", she simply put it.

"No kidding", Ruby agreed as she relaxed on her bunk, messing around with her scroll. She was trying to send the songs list over to Velvet and Team JNPR.

Man, today was odd. Between delivering a brain damaged Blake to the hospital, to sneaking around campus in their pajamas, then finding out Weiss was an exhibitionist, there was a lot that happened.

Nobody would forget today for a long, long time.

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><p><strong>Man I love me some Metal Gear. I would personally like to than Hideo Kojima for making such an awesome series. Wow, I got a little off track there. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Be sure to tell me how much you liked it in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off, and ready to start infiltration.<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Best Laid Plans

**Holla at ya boy, The Draigg! I'm back with another chapter for my peeps! Before I lay some sick words on ya, you should know that Monty Oum makes RWBY, not me. That being said, let's start this up, yo!**

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><p>Weiss was now having a good idea why Wednesday was traditionally called Hump Day. It seemed like a ton of work had just been dumped on her today. Not only did she have to make up all the lectures she missed during yesterday's pajama misadventure earlier today, but Ruby decided to gather all of her musical team in her room to go over the fine points of her plan. At least this was better than meeting in the Theater Club office. She would rather stay in the comfort of Team RWBY's dorm room than be in the cramped, industrial strength cleaner smelling office.<p>

Currently, Weiss was sitting next to Ruby on their bottom bunk. Jaune and Pyrrha were sitting opposite of them on the other bunk, Ren and Nora were sitting at the work desk, and Velvet was standing against the wall. Yang couldn't join the group today, since she wanted to check on Blake at the Medical Ward.

Ruby was interested in getting this meeting done soon, so she could bring out the snacks that Weiss bought for everyone. So, she immediately started talking once everyone got settled in.

"Okay, theater team! I hope you guys are ready! I certainly am!", Ruby exclaimed. The others agreed in various degrees. Ren shrugged, Velvet, Jaune, and Pyrrha nodded, and Nora punched the air in excitement.

"Okay!", Ruby cheered, pulling out her scroll. "I hope you guys read over the song list yesterday. So, I you did, you should know what to expect.".

Ren immediately piped up. "Why exactly do we need some foreign pop in here? It just seems thrown in there for no reason.", he observed.

Ruby immediately responded, almost as if she expected someone to bring that up. "Well, I made a promise to Blake to put it in. I can't disappoint my friend, can I?", she justified.

Everyone else nodded in agreement. Ren sighed and let the topic drop. He just accepted that he would never fully understand anyone that went to Beacon.

"Anywhooo~, any questions?", Ruby asked the assembly. Velvet raised her hand.

"You don't need to raise your hand, Velvs.", Ruby noted. Velvet dropped her arm and started to speak.

"I know we got a field to have the show in, but what about a stage?", Velvet asked. Admittedly, she had brought up a good point. It was at this point that Weiss spoke up.

"Don't worry, I can take care of that.", Weiss said, her voice filled with confidence.

"B-but how?", asked Velvet, slightly confused.

"I'm a Schnee! There's nothing I CAN'T get!", Weiss boasted. A sly grin crossed her face. Now she was feeling a little proud of being rich. Sure, money can't buy happiness, but it sure as hell can help.

"Awesome!", Ruby declared, hugging Weiss. She was still a little uncomfortable hugging Ruby ever since yesterday's lunch incident, but she decided to return the hug anyway.

"Are you guys going to need costumes?", Pyrrha asked. Given her previous job, it would only be natural to ask if she was needed.

"Well, I know Blake would insist on having something flashy for the pop part. What do you think, Ren?", asked Ruby. All attention focused on Ren.

"Why are you asking me?", Ren questioned. He had an idea why, but then again he wanted to believe that his friends wouldn't bring up the obvious.

"Because you're… you know… of that persuasion?", Ruby tried to justify.

Ren's idea was proven correct. "So, you want my advice on foreign pop costumes, because I have ancestors from the Eastern Kingdoms?", he said in an even tone.

"Well, I wouldn't put it THAT way… but you probably have some idea of what those pop stars dress up like, right?", Ruby explained her reasoning.

Ren pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. What did he do to deserve dealing with these people? And what made it worse, he did have an idea. He did listen to a lot of that pop when he was younger. But that was only a phase, damn it!

"If I help you, can you just never talk about my ancestry again?", bargained Ren. He couldn't stand people constantly making weird assumptions on his culture.

"I can't exactly promise that…", Ruby admitted, playing with her fingers. "But what I CAN promise is that you'll get to have some ice cream, my treat!", Ruby offered. How can anybody say no to ice cream?

Ren gave her a blank look. He was absolutely tired of all of this crap. Sighing, he gave in. He was willing to do anything to get past everyone destroying his culture. Why him? It was always him. Was this all just some sick joke the universe was playing on him?

"…Sure. Just… whatever. I don't care anymore.", he relented.

"Yay! So, what do they wear?", Ruby gushed with enthusiasm.

"Wear plenty of bows and lace. And don't forget the skirts. Keep them short enough to show some leg, but long enough to keep it family friendly.", Ren recalled from his old memories.

Ren still had all of those old posters of pop stars in his room back home. He should probably burn those when he had the chance. He should also toss that tree costume Nora made while he was at it. She had insisted on keeping it regardless, and stuffed it into the closet to keep it out of the way. It was only a matter of time when she did something weird with it.

Ruby was taking notes on her scroll. If one were to read what she was typing, her notes would read:

* * *

><p><em>Dresses: Maybe combat skirts? Get Yang and Blake's measurements.<em>

_Lace: How much is too much? Get several yards just to be safe._

_Bows: Ties or weapon type? See if I can combine the two._

_Headsets are cool. Check prices._

_Do cool team poses? Maybe a group formation? Make it extremely awesome!_

* * *

><p>"Thanks, Ren!", Ruby cheered as she finished her notes. Ren groaned in response. What kind of monster would he accidentally create now?<p>

"Hey, uh, guys?", Jaune piped up, "How exactly should we advertise the show? You know, get out the word?".

He had also brought up a good point. Ruby mulled of his words, tapping her chin. Posters were nice. But, the thing was is that they didn't have the right permits to post them up. But wait! Maybe they didn't have to post them at all!

"We can do an air drop of flyers!", Ruby suggested. This got her odd looks. "We've got people who can go in the air, right? Let's just have them do that and drop posters!", she further explained.

"Well, I can use my glyphs…", Weiss concurred. At those words, Velvet dove under the bed to hide. The word 'glyphs' had brought up some traumatic memories. She never wanted to fly with Weiss again. Everyone stared at the bed as Velvet started to whimper in fear.

"No, please don't do that! No! NOOOOO!", Velvet cried in fear from under the bed.

"Relax, Velvet! We won't have you do it at all!", reassured Ruby. It didn't really work. She could feel Velvet curl into a ball under where she was sitting.

"I don't wanna fly, I don't wanna fly, I don't wanna fly, I don't wanna fly…", Velvet started to mutter to herself.

"What happened to her?", Nora asked, confused at her friend's actions.

"I may have… launched Velvet in my glyphs… a lot.", Weiss explained, rubbing the back of her neck. To be honest, she was feeling pretty bad about it. It was really weird knowing that she had personally caused Velvet to wet herself a few days ago. She was sure Velvet had started to choke up when she had to go to her room to change.

"Can you please come out?", Pyrrha asked.

"NO!", screeched a still terrified Velvet. It was apparent she wouldn't come out from under the bed for a while. Unknown to the others, Velvet had started shiver uncontrollably.

Weiss sighed. "Look, I'm sorry that I kept on launching you in the air repeatedly, okay? Can you just come out now?", she apologized.

It seemed to work, since Velvet's rabbit ears poked out from under the bed a little bit. "R-really? Y-you m-mean it-t?", Velvet stuttered.

"Of course. Why would I lie about this?", Weiss asked rhetorically.

Velvet's head fully poked out from under the bed. Unfortunately, it was right underneath Weiss' legs. A blush fell across Velvet's nose.

"L-lewd…", Velvet whispered to herself. It was quite the view. Weiss was wearing her panties with the snowman design today. It was kind of funny that such a mature person would wear such childish underwear.

Weiss noticed where Velvet's gaze was and blushed in anger. She started to stomp her feet around Velvet's head.

"Pervert! Stop looking up my skirt!", Weiss cried. Velvet gave a yelp of terror and went back to hiding under the bed. One step forward, two steps back. Oh well. They needed to get on with the meeting. They would just have to deal with Velvet later.

"Any other questions?", Ruby asked. Nobody replied to her query. Ruby took this to be a good sign.

"Great! Get out the snacks, Weiss!", Ruby ordered. Weiss put her hands on her hips and looked at Ruby sternly.

"Not until you say please, Ruby.", she said.

"Please! Come on! Please?!", Ruby pleaded. She used her best sad looking eyes. Weiss immediately crumbled inwardly at the sight. Now she felt like she just kicked an adorable puppy. Weiss rushed over to the drink corner where the snacks were. She just wanted Ruby to stop her heartbreaking look.

Placing the packages of cookies on the desk near Ren and Nora, the work group (minus Velvet) gathered around the food. Ruby launched herself at the package of chocolate chip cookies and tackled it to the floor. She started to rip apart the plastic wrappings with her teeth. It was quite the spectacle.

Nobody was expecting a meal and a show. But man, watching Ruby devour those cookies was like watching some sort of nature documentary. Ren was sure that the way Ruby ate those cookies would put some lions to shame. For some reason, she was making weird growling noises as she shoved her face into the package. Ruby was crouched on all fours as she cookie crumbs flew all over the room.

Finally finishing off the prey that was the cookies, Ruby raised her head and let out a mighty howl. Then realizing what she was doing, quickly stood up and brushed crumbs off of her dress. Everyone was staring at her.

"S-sorry… I got a little carried away there…", Ruby apologized, embarrassed. In the process of devouring the cookies she had managed to get crumbs and saliva all over the floor, and scare Velvet even further. There was no way she would come out now.

Nora clapped and jumped up and down. "Wow! Can you do that again?", she cheered. Ren put his arm firmly on her shoulder.

"No, Nora.", he evenly stated. Nora stopped bouncing and looked a little disappointed. Dejected, she decided to eat some sugar cookies. Ren never let her have some fun.

"Can't come out, Ruby'll eat me. Can't come out, Ruby'll eat me. Can't come out, Ruby'll eat me…", was Velvet's new terrified chant. Predatory animals ALWAYS hunted rabbits. It was a part of nature, after all. The others could hear her frantic whispering coming from under the bed.

Everyone decided from then on to eat their snacks in silence. Overall, the group felt that this meeting had gone pretty well. Sure, Velvet was now completely scared out of her wits, but that was a regular occurrence, anyway.

* * *

><p>It was now nine o'clock at night. The work group had left over two hours ago. Or, most of them had. Velvet never came out from under the bed. But, she was pretty quiet now, so she wasn't bothering anybody.<p>

Yang had gotten back from the Medical Ward forty five minutes ago. Her visit to Blake's room had gone well. Or, rather as well it can go considering she still had some head trauma. At least she was starting to get some of her old mindset back. But for some reason, she kept on calling Yang 'Bai' for some reason. Oh well, it was close enough.

Currently, Team RWY was in their beds, Yang completely entangled in their covers, and Weiss and Ruby cuddling each other. They hadn't fallen asleep yet. Ruby couldn't since she was still on her sugar rush from earlier. It was a bad idea to let Ruby eat that many cookies. Now, Ruby was chatting a mile a minute in Weiss' ear.

"So then I was like, 'No way!', and the bear was like 'Yes way.", and then we played some tennis for thirty days. But then the toaster cheated, so we had to do a tie breaker in the marshmallow pool!", Ruby gushed, recalling a vivid dream she had the other day. Whenever Weiss tried to stop her ranting, Ruby just kept on talking anyway.

"Ruby, honey, that's great. But please, can we just go to sleep now?", Weiss pleaded. They had classes tomorrow. If they wanted to get to breakfast in time, they needed their rest.

"Ohh, I just can't! Come on, let's do something!", Ruby declared as she started to straddle Weiss. Even if it was meant as a playful gesture, Weiss still couldn't help but blush at the sexual connotation. Velvet was still under the bed! They couldn't do it with her still there!

"_No, let her watch. I WANT her to watch us._", Weiss' inner exhibitionist told her. Weiss tried to force the thought out of her head. Why did her lewd thoughts always happen while she was wearing her pajamas, anyway?

"_Hell, you can have her join in on the fun! Just pull on those ears and spank her! Make her squeal! Make Velvet yours and Ruby's plaything!_", her train of thought continued. No, Weiss wasn't Blake, damn it! Stop thinking like her! Weiss shifted uncomfortably where she lie, getting aroused by her thoughts.

"_Do it in front of the window! Show everyone that writhing, naked mass of love! DO IT!_", her mind commanded of her. Weiss needed to stop thinking before her inner sex fiend took over. Sighing, she gently pushed Ruby off the top of her.

"Do whatever you want. Just don't wake me.", Weiss whispered to Ruby. She then turned over on her side, trying to fall asleep.

Ruby briefly huffed in annoyance. Then, she decided to count the small bumps of the stucco walls in her head.

Nothing sexy would happen tonight for anybody.

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><p><strong>There you guys have it! Another chapter done! While I bet you enjoyed it, just let know what you really think in the reviews section, okay? Well, this is The Draigg, signing off until next time.<strong>


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Velvet's Off Kilter Afternoon

**Man, I'm running out of clever introductions here. Anyway, you probably already know that it's me, The Draigg, updating the story with another chapter. I certainly hope that you guys like it! Going through the motions, I should say that I don't own RWBY, or any other things I mention. With the legal stuff done, let's start this shindig!**

**Oh yeah, one more thing: There's an excerpt of Blake's fanfic in this chapter. Be advised, there's some heavy, HEAVY lemon. You've been warned.**

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><p>Thursday. Normally, this was the day that people would start to excitedly wait for the end of the week, Friday. But, a certain Faunus girl wasn't excited at all. In fact, she was downright terrified. Or, she would be, once she woke up.<p>

You see, Velvet never left Team RWBY's dorm room after she hid under a bed yesterday. Since she was absolutely afraid for a variety of reasons, she decided that she would be safest there, where she could hide. But, her paranoia outweighed her rational thinking. She waited quietly for the most of the night, ready to make her break early in the morning. Unfortunately, she had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning.

It was now nearly ten o'clock in the morning. Velvet woke herself up by her own loud snoring. Groaning, she tried to sit up. Instead, she hit her head on the bottom of the bed. Weird, how did she end up here?

Rolling out from under the bed, Velvet's half-awoken mind started to recall what had happened yesterday. Oh yeah, she had hid under the bed after someone mentioned glyphs! A small shiver went up Velvet's spine. She NEVER wanted to go anywhere alone with Weiss again.

Stretching, Velvet looked around the room. It was pretty clean, all things considered. She would have expected Team RWBY to be a little messy in the morning, considering Yang and Ruby's habits. She guessed Weiss really helped them get their acts together. Everything was neatly made and spotless! Even that clock looked freshly polished!

Wait, the clock?

Velvet focused her attention on the clock.

Oh.

Oh dear.

She was incredibly late for her classes! In fact, she already missed one!

Scrambling to the door, Velvet tried to open it. Damn, it was locked. Looking for a way out, she eyed the vent. The grate was affixed safely in the frame with new screws. There must have some maintenance done recently. Thinking quickly, she then rushed over to the window. No good, it was a pretty high drop.

Dejected, Velvet sat down on the desk chair. What should she do now? She couldn't get out, as far she figured. Velvet was trapped. Now that she thought about it, she had seen movies with this scenario before. However, in those movies, the captive either fell prey to a death trap or was forced to kill their friends to escape. After seeing those movies, she never went to movie night at Beacon Theater again. How did they always get away with playing such gory movies, anyway?

Great. What should she do? What COULD she do? Velvet went over the options in her head. She couldn't leave, that was impossible. She would just have to bide her time. Velvet looked around for something to do. She eyed the laptop on the desk. Maybe should just browse the internet while she waited for Team RWBY to let her out.

Velvet opened the laptop. Looking for the internet icon, she found it already running in the background. Interested, she clicked on the icon. The internet was already open to someone's fan fiction page. Someone going by the handle 'ShadowCat333', apparently. Curious as to why this page was open, she scrolled down on the page. Velvet saw that a few stories were available to read. Taking a random chance, she clicked on the one called 'Shinobi Romance: Ningen Namida'. That was an odd name.

Well, just because it had a weird name doesn't mean that it's bad, right? With her attention fully gathered, she started to read the author's note at the top.

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><p><strong><em>Hi there! It's ShadowCat333 bringing my lovely fans another saucy fanfic! I hope you really 'enjoy' this one, if you get my drift *wink wink*! Let's continue the grand adventure of the Black Shinobi and the Solar Samurai!11!<em>**

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><p>Black Shinobi? Solar Samurai? What exactly was this story about, anyway? Confused, Velvet continued to scroll down the page.<p>

* * *

><p><em>When we last left our busty, sexy heroines, they had just survived the crash of Lord Ero's Pleasure Airship. However, they're now stranded in the blazing, fiery desert of Dieserte. Without food or water, how will our sexually desirable heroines survive?!<em>

_"__Shinobi-sama, I'm SSOOOO thirsty!", the Solar Samurai complained. However, the thirst in her throat didn't compare to the quivering thirst for the Shinobi's body. The Black Shinobi, who had the grace of a cat, always lit a raging inferno in her loins. The Samurai was growing damp just thinking about her lover's quivering mound._

_The feline-like Black Shinobi took her lover's word with great consideration. They would have to do ANYTHING to survive. Even in this hellscape of a desert, she had to keep their hopes high. Thus, the Shinobi beckoned the Solar Samurai to move closer._

_Once the nubile, blonde Solar Samurai stood proudly before her, the Black Shinobi gently shoved her down on her knees, with her own legs quivering with anticipation. She felt a raging inferno growing in her chest. This was both an emotional and physical act of love._

_Yanking down her pants, the highly attractive Shinobi yanked down her pants and offered her opening to the Samurai. She was already growing slick from feeling the dry heat of the desert on her furry mound. She didn't shave her pubic arch, as her hair felt as soft as mink._

_The seductive Shinobi gently cupped the Samurai's chin and moved her mouth to her inviting opening. Summoning what she could, a stream of fresh urine poured out of the Shinobi's slit and into the Samurai's mouth. The Solar Samurai greedily slurped down the Shinobi's gift of her fluids. Some of her love juices started to mix with her quivering stream._

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><p>Velvet couldn't even believe what she was reading. Just what in the hell compelled someone to write this poor excuse for literature? And more importantly, WHO even wrote this?! Clearly, this person needed some pointers on the essentials of writing. As a self-professed playwright, Velvet saw some potential with the story. But, it just needed to be written better. With concerned interest, Velvet kept on reading.<p>

* * *

><p><em>The Solar Samurai gulped her lover's mixture down with a burning passion. Her lover tasted so good! With her gift flowing down her throat, the Solar Samurai decided to repay her lover's favor in kind.<em>

_Finishing her lover's gift by wiping her tongue over the Black Shinobi's shaggy carpet, the Solar Samurai stood up, ready to give her lover a drink as well. Walking over to the remains of her pack, the Solar Samurai pulled out a goblet forged by the raging inferno of passion of the Eros Nymphs._

_The Solar Samurai stripped out of her armor and robes in front of the Shinobi. What she was about to do, she would most certainly enjoy._

_The Samurai sat on the warm sand and presented her snatch, completely bare as the day she was born. The broad nipples on her bountiful breasts grew erect at the thought of her plan._

_Taking one hand, the Samurai started to vigorously finger her center, tweaking her clit with her thumb and index finger. With the other hand, she kept on pulling at the folds of her vagina roughly, so that her lips grew red as they stretched. This pain was starting to mix with pleasure. The Solar Samurai was getting closer to the edge. She could feel a raging inferno build up behind her quivering folds._

_The Black Shinobi was amused by this gesture. It was touching __**(AN: HAHA GET IT?!1!)**__ to see her lover do this gesture for her. It was also slightly arousing. She would have joined her in her self-pleasure, but she was already slightly worn form her gift of drink._

_The Solar Samurai was ready to come from her rough stimulation. As she placed the Eros Chalice in front of her pussy, she was already starting to leak her clear, creamy fluids onto the sand where she sat._

_Finally cumming, the Solar Samurai shot out a stream of her hot, rich fluids into the cup. Her come came out in one long stream, then smaller squirts after that. The raging inferno of her orgasm lasted for a good five minutes._

_"__Of course,", the Black Shinobi thought, "She always did have the magic touch.". __**(AN: HAHA, IT'S A PUN!)**_

_Her hands still quivering from her merciful release, the Solar Samurai shakily offered the cup to the sexy, erotic Black Shinobi._

_The Shinobi smiled and took the goblet from her lover. Bringing the chalice to her lips, the lustful Shinobi started to drink her lover's cum. It tasted just as she remembered it did, the musk of her scent filling her nostrils. Her legs quivered at the memory of her lover's touch._

_She kept on slurping the cum, where it lingered on her lips with ropey streams of the fluids still connecting it to the cup. She should request this beverage more often. Unfortunately, her lover's fluids were quickly drained from the goblet. Hoping to get the last of the taste, the Shinobi ran her tongue over the interior of the cup. She savored the taste of her lover's womanhood on her lips._

_"__What a refreshing beverage.", the Shinobi thanked, her voice slightly quavering._

_Sighing, the Solar Samurai replied, "And I can say the same of your gift."._

_"__Shall we continue onwards? We must get back to the Sorceress of Leng and the Crimson Lotus as soon as possible. Our mission is complete.", the Black Shinobi suggested. The Solar Samurai stood up, but did not redress herself. It was too hot for that. Noticing this, the Black Shinobi also stripped down to her bare flesh._

_"__Do not worry. If we need more nourishment, we could always use my breasts.", observed the Solar Samurai. She cupped her chest meat for emphasis._

_"__Let us go.", the Shinobi ordered._

_The Black Shinobi set off in the direction of the sunset, and the Solar Samurai followed._

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><p>Velvet couldn't read anymore. It was getting too painful. Weirdly enough, it wasn't the graphic sexual imagery that upset Velvet, it was the poor writing. If it was possible, she should track down the author and offer her services as an editor. She had written plays before, so she had some writing experience. Maybe if she helped then she could make this thing actually digestible. What was this author's name again? 'ShadowCat333'? When she got back to her room, she would have to send a message to her.<p>

Oh well, Velvet would have to find something else to do. So, opening a new tab, Velvet decided to put some time into watching videos on DustTube. If there was any better way of spending the day, Velvet didn't know about it. Haha, that cat feel off of a chair into a box! Cats were so funny.

* * *

><p>A few hours passed, the sun eventually settling on the far horizon. Velvet had forgotten about her missed classes. She had far more investing things to do right now. She couldn't miss this live stream concert by the Achieve Men! They were about to do their new song, 'A Mad King Reigns'! Ohh, they were so dreamy!<p>

Velvet was so engrossed in the concert that she didn't notice the door unlock and Team RWY walk in.

"—And so the penguin said, 'That's not an eggplant, that's my cousin'!", Ruby said, telling a joke. Yang and Weiss clearly didn't get it. But then again, they didn't get why Velvet was staring at Blake's laptop, slouched in the desk chair.

"Velvet?! What're you doing here?!", Weiss cried in surprise. All of them were confused by her presence.

"Ssshh!", Velvet hushed, waiting for the song to finish. Once the lead belted out the final notes, she closed the laptop. They should make a concert like that.

"Oh, hey, you're back!", Velvet exclaimed. Placing the laptop back on the desk, Velvet excused herself past the confused team and out the door.

Team RWY stood there, confused. What the hell was going on? Confused, Weiss picked up the laptop. Opening it, she saw the concert tab still open. But, next to it, there was another tab open. Clicking on it, she scanned over the fan fiction that Velvet didn't close.

Weiss' face froze in shock at what she had (unfortunately) read. Shakily placing the laptop back on the desk, she slowly walked over to Ruby. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, she started to cry into her shoulder.

Patting Weiss on the back, Ruby asked, "Was it Blake's fan fiction?".

Weiss nodded into her shoulder, disgusted at what she saw. She had no words left to say.

Making soothing noises, Ruby carried Weiss over to the bed and tucked her under the covers. As Weiss started to uncontrollably quake, Ruby rubbed small circles on her back.

Yang tried to stay as far away from the laptop as possible. She edged her way around the room, her back to the wall.

"Just how the hell did Velvet read that damn thing?!" Yang asked, utterly perplexed. She would be impressed, but the fact that Velvet didn't fall ill or break into hysterics brought up some disturbing implications.

"I don't know… I honestly don't know…", muttered Ruby as she tried to comfort her girlfriend. Although she wasn't shaking now, Weiss was still crying a little. Taking the initiative, Ruby wrapped her body around Weiss, hoping the full body hug would calm her down.

Velvet must have been superhuman to survive Blake's writings. Either that, or she was into what she read. The team couldn't decide which one was more likely. Even worse, they weren't sure which one they wanted to be true.

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><p><strong>Jesus, I feel absolutely filthy after writing that. But, you wanted Blake's fanfic, and you wanted some lemon. I hope it was everything you folks wished for. Be sure to tell me what you think of this smut in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off so I can go to the shower to scrub off my shame.<strong>


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Rubesday Preppers

**Okay, now that I scrubbed off the top layer of skin after the last chapter, The Draigg is coming back at ya with another update! By now, you should know that I don't own RWBY or anything else I mention in this story. Now that I've gotten the bad taste of the last chapter out of my mouth, let's start this new chapter!**

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><p>Skipping past the days that not much related to the music show got accomplished, it was now Saturday. Yesterday, Weiss managed to call in a few favors to some local companies (i.e. 'If you don't give me stuff then my company will break yours') to get the necessary pieces of the stage to start setting up in the large field.<p>

Currently, Team RWY was watching the stage getting set up. It was a good thing that student labor was cheap. All they did was walk into the main hall this morning and announce that they'll give free food in exchange for five hours of work. Free food never failed. Most of the time, it worked every time. It was a rule of nature. Unfortunately, that took a large chunk out of Weiss' school budget. But, it was a necessary sacrifice.

"Wow! This stage is huge! And professional!", gushed Ruby. The glint in her eyes was shining brightly.

Weiss gave a smug grin to Ruby. "With a Schnee, you should only expect the best.", Weiss boasted. Sure, most of the time she hated what her family for what it was, but she did have to admit it gave her some awesome business skills.

Yang was concerned with something on her scroll. Looking up at the others, she said, "Guys, it's been nearly five hours. Think we should bring the food in now?".

Weiss nodded and Yang typed a message to Velvet. Ever since Yang had her license suspended for organizing illegal drag races in the parking lot, Jaune was the next available person able to drive. Unfortunately, he had only gotten his license about three months ago. So, he was understandably still a little shaky at driving.

Still, they had faith in Jaune's driving skills. They couldn't do it, so who else could they trust?

* * *

><p>"YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST!", Velvet yelled, pulling down her rabbit ears in anxiety. Velvet liked to walk rather than ride in cars, so any speed was too fast for her. Because of her panicking, they kept on getting passed on the way out of the parking lot. Currently, the truck was only moving at fifteen miles per hour, due to Velvet's pleas.<p>

"Oh, geez!", exclaimed Jaune as he slammed on the brakes for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. Everyone violently jerked forward as the truck bucked to a halt. That was about the twentieth time Velvet raised a false alarm.

"It's fine Jaune. Just give it a little gas and keep going.", advised Pyrrha. Sure, she didn't have a license yet, but she had a better idea of how to drive than the other two.

As soon as the truck took off again, Velvet started to shriek in terror, even though there weren't any other cars on the road they were on.

"IT'S NOT FINE! IT'S NOT FINE AT ALL! GET ME OUT OF THIS DEATH MACHINE!", Velvet continued to shout as she flailed around the interior, trying to grab the handles above the doors. Jaune slammed on the brakes as soon as Velvet screamed.

Pyrrha grabbed Velvet's wild arms and tried to shove them in her lap. It was at this point that Velvet started to hyperventilate. Sighing, Pyrrha pulled a paper bag out of the glove compartment and held it to Velvet's mouth. Velvet snatched it out of her hand, and breathed deeply into it repeatedly. Pyrrha was now heavily reconsidering the idea of a road trip with her friends.

Jaune decided to drive at a lower speed this time around. He kept the truck at a consistent four miles an hour. This seemed to calm Velvet a little. Turing around a corner, everyone spotted an empty cardboard box in the road. Velvet dropped the bag as her panic started to flare up again.

"WE'RE GONNA CRASH!", she announced as the truck slowly moved towards the box. Even Jaune thought her fears were unfounded at the trash in the road.

"Slow down! For the love of God, SLOW DOWWWWNNNNN!", Velvet continued to scream. She clutched one of Jaune's arms. Now thoroughly annoyed of Velvet's screaming, Jaune shot Pyrrha a look. Understanding what his eyes were saying, Pyrrha opened the door and got out.

Jogging over to the box, Pyrrha kicked it out of the way. She didn't understand why Velvet was so upset. That box possessed absolutely no threat to anybody. She then jogged over to the still moving truck and got back in.

Velvet's eyes were closed as she started to crush Jaune's arm in her grip. Apparently, she had started to confess everything she wanted off her chest before she died.

"—Secret pictures in the girl's and boy's locker rooms! Of ALL you guys! I'm so sorry for that!", she confessed as Pyrrha bucked up in her seat. Jaune's face was scrunched in a frown at what he had heard. First she was a prude, and now she was repressed? Just what the hell was up with her?

"I moved the box out of the way.", Pyrrha announced as soon as she settled in.

"Thanks.", Jaune said as he tried to shake of Velvet's arms. Once her grip loosened on Jaune's arm, Velvet hugged herself tightly.

"And… *sniff* a-and I love you guys! I really do! You mean s-so *sniff* much to me! I love ya so much!", Velvet admitted as she started to tear up. She honestly thought this was the end of her life.

"Sssshhh, ssshhh, it's okay Velvet.", came Pyrrha's soothing voice. "Look, I moved the box. You're safe now.".

Opening her eyes, she saw the truck pass by the box that was moved to the side of the road. Absolutely elated that she wasn't going to die, Velvet glomped Pyrrha into a hug.

"I'M GONNA LIVE!", she declared as she tightened her hug.

As Velvet declared her undying thanks, Pyrrha locked eyes with Jaune. He simply rolled his eyes and kept on driving. Pyrrha was really trying not to roll her eyes too. There was only so much patience she had for this amount of stupidity.

"Hey, there's the stage!", Jaune pointed out. He pushed the gas pedal a little harder, taking the truck up to twenty five miles per hour. Letting go of Pyrrha, Velvet snapped forward in her seat in horror. Her eyes widened in shock. This was too fast!

TOO FAST!

Velvet started to scream again.

"OHHH FUUUUUUUUUUU—".

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><p>Team RWY was standing around, wondering what was taking Jaune so long. He should have been here about twenty minutes ago. Then, they spotted the truck coming up the road. Rolling up to them, the truck braked to a quick halt. Jane and Pyrrha hopped out and headed towards the back.<p>

"Sorry for being late.", Pyrrha apologized as she pulled out a box of chips.

"Yeah, sorry about that. We had some… issues.", Jaune said, motioning his eyes to the cab of the truck.

The others shifted their gaze to the figure still in the truck. For some reason, Velvet was frozen in place, making inarticulate noises as snot and tears poured down her face. The group unanimously decided this had something to do with one of Velvet's many phobias. Not wanting to deal with that right now, Team RWY decided to help carry the food out of the truck.

Velvet unfroze from her shock. Shaking, she tried to climb out on the driver's side. But now her terror caught up to her. She fainted as soon as she was near the wheel. Slumping down, Velvet's head landed on the horn. The car horn blared loudly. When it sounded, the others turned their attention to the cab. They saw that Velvet had fainted on the wheel.

Sighing, Yang grabbed the unconscious Velvet and hefted her over her shoulder. It was like carrying a sack of potatoes, except it was nothing like that at all. She was carrying a person. It wasn't nice to dehumanize people like that.

Team RWY plus Pyrrha and Jaune carried their cargo to the stage.

* * *

><p>"Well, it's about damn time! What did ya bring us?", Cardin demanded. Sure, he wasn't exactly the biggest fan of any of the people he was working for today, but you can't argue with free stuff. Especially if it was food. Food was nice.<p>

"Just this stuff.", Jane replied as he dumped a pack of juice boxes on the stage. The others placed the other edibles on the stage as well. They had gotten juice boxes, chips, some extra-long sub sandwiches, and most importantly, cookies. Weiss had to hold back Ruby form devouring them on the way over.

"Groovy.", muttered Cardin as he grabbed a piece of a sandwich and a juice box. The other workers gathered around the food. Munching on his sandwich and gulping down fruit punch, Cardin started to ask some questions.

"Sho, waths tha deal wiff dis sthage anyway?', he asked, his mouth full.

"We're putting on a music show!", Ruby declared enthusiastically, tearing into a packet of shortbread cookies.

Swallowing, Cardin said, "A show, eh? Well Reddie, I'm sure that once you're done with it, everyone will know how much this field was improved.". He thought that was clever insult. The best ones were ones that sounded like compliments.

"Wow! Thanks, Cardin!", Ruby said, feeling proud of her work. She didn't notice the insult. However, Weiss did. She punched Cardin on the shoulder.

"Why don't you go back to practicing your future career, you ruffian!", she growled at him.

"Geez, what's the deal? Defending your little girlfriend?", Cardin mocked.

"I- That's none of your business!", Weiss sputtered as she shoved Cardin away from the group.

This only served to fuel Cardin. "Ohh, did I strike a nerve?", he sneered.

"Shut UP!", Weiss yelled as she shoved him harder.

Cardin started to laugh. This was too rich. It really figured that the Ice Princess wasn't into princes. This was seriously out of left field.

"Just go away!", Weiss commanded. This seemed to work, as Cardin strutted away, feeling satisfied with his teasing.

Huffing in anger, Weiss stomped over to where Ruby was pouring cookies down her gullet. Grabbing her by the wrist, she pulled a confused Ruby over to the truck.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Weiss!", Ruby exclaimed once Weiss stopped. Her confusion was washed over by a kiss. Melting on Weiss' lips, Ruby immediately didn't care what the reason was. Weiss' mouth tasted good enough to wash away everything else.

Pulling away, Weiss paced around in frustration. Man, Cardin really got on her nerves! Ohhh, that… that… JERK!

"I… I… URGH! Screw Cardin! That dolt!", Weiss ranted, still pacing around.

It clicked in Ruby's head. Of course Weiss must have gotten teased. Given how emotionally stunted she was, it made sense that she would be sensitive whenever someone mocked what she felt.

Grabbing Weiss' hands, she interlocked their fingers. Giving a warm smile, Ruby said, "Weiss, how could you forget? I'M your dolt, not him.".

Weiss couldn't help but smile at the little nickname that she had given Ruby. It started out as an insult, but it changed into a pet name in her mind. To her, calling Ruby her dolt was the same as calling Ruby her snugglebear. Of course, she couldn't actually call Ruby that, she still had a reputation to uphold.

"You always know the right thing to say…", Weiss purred. Planting a quick peck on Ruby's cheek, Weiss moved to lean against the truck. She stared at the stage being assembled. Ruby joined her, sitting on the edge of the trunk.

"It's amazing, isn't it?", Weiss asked.

"Hmm?", sounded Ruby.

"Your dream is finally coming true. Like I said, it's incredible, right?", Weiss clarified. Ruby smiled as her words sunk in.

"Yeah. But, not as incredible as you.", Ruby honestly admitted.

"Oh, don't be cheesy now.", Weiss teased.

"No, I mean it!", Ruby said, waving her arms. "You're smart, you're interesting… you're pretty…", she said with a small blush.

To be honest, Weiss never looked bad. Even now, dressed in her spare set of clothes, Weiss radiated grace. The light of the midday sun danced over her silver hair. But, she looked even better when she was flustered. As a blush crossed Weiss' nose at Ruby's compliment, Ruby thought she looked absolutely adorable.

"D-dolt… you don't mean it…", Weiss said, rubbing the front of her shoe into the ground.

'Why wouldn't I?", Ruby asked.

A smile danced on Weiss' lips. Raising her hand, she ruffled Ruby's hair. As Ruby squirmed under Weiss' hand, Weiss giggled.

"Oh man, you take things too seriously…", Weiss said, gazing at the stage.

Getting off the side of the truck, Weiss held out her hand to Ruby. Taking it, Ruby hopped off the truck, landing next to Weiss.

"Come on, let's go. The others might wonder where we are.", offered Weiss. Nodding, Ruby went with Weiss.

Ruby and Weiss' hands remained intertwined, their bond never to be broken.

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><p>Velvet woke up with a groan. Looking around, she noticed that she was resting on the stage. More specifically, the part of the stage where people had tossed their trash. Climbing out of the pile of wrappers and empty juice boxes, Velvet rubbed her head. What did she ever do to deserve this? First she was scared half to death, and now she was covered in garbage.<p>

Maybe it was karmic balance for taking all of those secret photos in the locker rooms. But, it was just too tempting not to! She just couldn't keep on taking mental snapshots, she wanted actual pictures! And it wasn't exactly HER fault she kept a lot of photos of Pyrrha and Jaune. They just happened to be around, that's all!

Stumbling over to the work group, she couldn't help but feel a little amazed that the stage was put together this quickly. She guessed that the promise of food really worked wonders. But, she shook the thought out of her head. She had a mission to accomplish: regain her dignity.

"Hey, Jaune!", she called.

Turning to her, Jaune's gaze immediately shifted to in-between Velvet's rabbit ears. Feeling up there, Velvet noticed that there was a wrapper stuck up there. Yanking it off, Velvet started to talk to Jaune.

"So…", Velvet started, her heel digging into the dirt. "Sorry for what I did earlier…", she apologized. This was beyond embarrassing for her. Especially after admitting her voyeurism fetish when she thought she was going to die.

"Umm... you certainly said a lot in there…", Jaune said, scratching his head. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense that Velvet would be into that type of thing. She was naturally shy, so it made sense that she would put a barrier between herself and her desires.

Velvet's face turned red with embarrassment. "So… a-are we c-cool?", she asked, trying not to run away from the sheer indignity of her situation.

"Yeah… just… delete those pictures, okay? It's kinda weird.", relented Jaune.

Velvet nodded, half-agreeing with Jaune. She would just delete the pictures of him and Pyrrha. That should be good enough. She hoped that the universe would stop pissing on her if she did that. Unfortunately, that was roughly half of her collection. Oh well. She could still do with the other photos.

It was at this point that Yang walked over to join them.

"Heya, Velvs! Good thing you woke up!", Yang exclaimed. Then, she proceeded to shove a bunch of fliers into Velvet's hands.

"You should start handing these out. You know, spread the word and stuff?", Yang ordered.

With that, Yang shoved Velvet in the direction of the Main Hall. She lightly slapped Velvet on the rear to send her off. With a small hitch in her throat, Velvet wandered off, ready to hand out fliers.

Jaune and Yang stood there, watching Velvet leave the area at a rapid pace. An awkward silence surrounded them. Finally, Jaune decided to break the silence.

"You know she has pictures of you, right?".

Yang's face contorted in confusion. "Huh?", she asked.

"Yeah. She admitted it in the truck. She took pictures of all of us.", explained Jaune.

"That's… odd. I hope they aren't of anything TOO bad.", Yang said, her eyebrow hitched up high.

"They were taken in the locker rooms.", Jaune clarified.

Almost immediately after the words left his mouth, Jaune could feel the heat coming off of Yang's aura. That wasn't a good sign for anybody in her sights.

Velvet was going to get it.

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><p><strong>There, I feel that this chapter makes up for the last one. To be fair, you probably could have skipped that one. I guess that warning should have come earlier. Oh well. Anyway, I hope you liked this one! Tell me how much you liked it in the reviews! This is The Draigg, signing off, not horrified at this chapter.<strong>


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Rab-biting The Dust

**'****Sup, it's your pal, The Draigg here again. As you probably guessed, I'm back with another chapter for my fellow readers! It's a little saucy (in the good way) for you folks! I would also like to day that I really appreciate your guy's feedback in the reviews section. Keep it up! Also, you should know that I don't own RWBY, or pretty much anything. Now let's get it started!**

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><p>Velvet wasn't having much luck with handing out fliers in the Main Hall. Sure, she tried to force the fliers into passing student's hands, but they threw them away almost immediately. Only a few people really showed interest at the music show. Changing tactics, Velvet tried targeting the students directly outside. There were a lot of them hanging out on the front lawn. Maybe they would take her more seriously.<p>

As she started to hand out the fliers to passing students, she saw Yang walking calmly up the main walkway. Maybe she had come by to lend a hand! But, her hopes were dashed as soon as she saw Yang's scowl.

Yang marched up to Velvet and knocked the fliers out of her hands. Velvet raised her arms to defend herself. Why was Yang so angry right now?

"So, what's this I hear about secret photos?", Yang said in a dead even tone. She was so furious that her attitude looped all the way around back to being calm.

"_Oh no! How did she find out?!_", Velvet thought in a panic. Wait, she must have heard it from Jaune! She thought they were cool!

"Y-yang, please-e… d-don't d-do th-this!", begged Velvet. She dropped to her knees and started to cling at Yang's shorts. She was flat out groveling right now.

Yang leaned down, her face an inch away from Velvet's. "And why shouldn't I END you right now?", asked Yang. She honestly wanted to know why she should spare Velvet.

"I-I'll delete the pictures! Yeah! Of you, of Blake, of Ruby…", Velvet stopped in her tracks as soon as she said Ruby. That was the wrong choice of words.

Picking up Velvet effortlessly, Yang hurled her into a dirt patch. Velvet skidded across the ground and crashed into a water fountain. Rubbing her head, Velvet looked up. Yang was standing over her, ready to strike.

"N-no! Please!", Velvet cried, flailing around in the mud puddle that was forming.

Yang winded back to unleash a fiery punch. Just as she was about to land her blow, she slipped in the mud. Landing on her rear, Yang then launched herself at Velvet. Grabbing her, Yang started to shout in Velvet's face.

"You think it's okay to take pervy photos of my SIS?! YOU'RE DEAD FUCKING WRONG!", she screamed. Yang wrestled around with Velvet in the mud pit, the mud getting all over the both of them. Now, a group was gathering around the mud fight.

Velvet tried to crawl away, but Yang grabbed her by the skirt. The skirt tore away from Velvet's body. In her wild flailing, Velvet accidentally tore off a part of Yang's shirt. Yang's anger was rising. How dare she ruin one of her favorite shirts!

She then grabbed Velvet and started to roll around in the mud. Yang was trying to put Velvet in a choke hold, but this mud was simply too slick. Velvet slipped out of Yang's grasp. Trying to flee, Velvet then hit Yang in the jaw on accident.

"I'm sorry!", apologized Velvet.

Yang's anger grew beyond what was thought possible. She tried to stand, but she kept on slipping in the mud. Moving over to a nearby wheelbarrow, she pulled herself up. Noticing a gardening hoe, Yang grabbed it and walked over to Velvet, menacingly.

Velvet, identifying the threat, dove between Yang's legs over to the wheelbarrow. Her apologies were having no effect. Yang was going for the kill. Seeing no choice to defend herself, Velvet grabbed a spade and brandished it outwards.

Yang and Velvet started to circle each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

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><p>"Hey, where did Velvet and Yang go?", Ruby asked, noticing their absence. She looked around, but didn't see either of them near the truck or the stage.<p>

Weiss was also confused by their disappearance. They had work to do! They couldn't have two of their group just wander off!

Jaune walked by the pair. Grabbing him by the arm, Weiss demanded to know, "Just where are Yang and Velvet?! Did they just walk off?!".

"Ohh… ummm… Yang kinda, sorta walked off to take vengeance on Velvet.", Jaune replied. Now that was a rare sentence to say.

Both Weiss' and Ruby's brows furrowed in confusion. Just what the hell had happened to cause this?

"Uhhh, what?", Ruby asked.

"Yeah… some secret photos were involved. Yang wasn't too happy about that…", explained Jaune, rubbing the back of his neck.

Weiss sighed in frustration. Grabbing Jaune and Ruby by the arms, she dragged them over to the truck.

"What're you doing, Weiss?", Ruby couldn't help but ask.

"You guys are going to help me look for those two.", explained Weiss. She opened the passenger side door. "Now get in.", she ordered.

When Ruby climbed in the middle seat, Weiss pointed at Jaune. "You're driving.", she commanded. Nodding, Jaune got behind the wheel. When Weiss got in the truck, he started the engine.

Soon, the truck rolled down the road, ready to start searching for Yang and Velvet.

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><p>"Hey, what's with that crowd?", Ruby pointed out as the truck drove up to the Main Hall. Jaune stopped the truck, and the group climbed out. If Yang had started a fight, of course a crowd would gather around it.<p>

Pushing their way through the impromptu audience, Ruby, Weiss, and Jaune were treated to an unusual sight. For some reason, Yang's bra was exposed, and Velvet wasn't wearing her skirt anymore. Also, they were covered in mud. Both of them were circling each other in a mud pit, wielding gardening tools as weapons.

"YOU'RE GONNA EAT CARROTS THROUGH A TUBE!", Yang yelled as she swung her hoe.

"Don't make me do this!", pleaded Velvet as she also swung her spade.

Both of their weapons collided with the other person's head at the same time. Both crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold. The crowd erupted in cheers as the fight ended.

"WOOOOO! A CROSS COUNTER!", the work group heard someone yell.

Jaune covered his eyes, Ruby gasped in shock, and Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Shoving people out of the way, Weiss grabbed the unconscious pair by the arms and dragged them over to the truck.

Jaune, understanding what Weiss wanted to do, walked over to the truck and opened the back. As Weiss and Jaune hefted Velvet and Yang in the trunk, Ruby grabbed a dropped flier and held it up. Hoping to take advantage of this gathering, Ruby announced:

"Be sure to check out our show!", she announced. An awkward silence fell over the crowd. This hadn't gone the way Ruby thought it would. After standing there for a minute in silence, Ruby then ran off to the truck and climbed in.

Well, that was awkward.

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><p>Jaune had driven the truck over to the Medical Ward. Jaune had hefted Velvet inside. It was weird for him, considering that Velvet wasn't wearing any pants or a skirt. He rushed in with a blush on his face, hoping to put this incident behind him.<p>

Ruby, however, was refusing to grab Yang's upper half, since her chest was exposed. Weiss put down Yang's legs and complained.

"Come on, it's your sister! It can't be that weird!", she exclaimed. That didn't persuade Ruby in the slightest.

"No! I don't wanna grab my sister there! It's weird!", protested Ruby.

"It's not like you haven't seen her half naked before!", Weiss pointed out.

Ruby shot back, "But this is different! It's like groping her! EWW!".

"You are SUCH a child! Fine, I'll do it!", Weiss caved in. She moved over to Ruby's side and grabbed Yang under the arms. Ruby, accepting this, walked over to her Yang's legs and picked them up.

As the duo carried the unconscious Yang into the Medical Ward, Weiss had gotten some handfuls of Yang's chest. To be honest, she was a little jealous. What had she eaten to make them so rotund? No, she shouldn't worry over something like that. Weiss was sure that Ruby liked her breasts just the way they were. They were perky! People were into that, right?

* * *

><p>Once they were able to check in Yang and Velvet, Weiss and Ruby were exiled to the lobby, doing more paperwork. Jaune had left already, going back to working on setting up the stage.<p>

Currently, the couple was working on filling out forms about possible nut allergies. It's been about two hours since they started on those forms.

"Is Yang allergic to walnuts?", Weiss asked, completely bored.

Ruby sighed in reply, "Nope.". She was also bored out of her skull.

Weiss slammed her pen down on the clipboard. "How the hell did we end up here again?!", complained Weiss.

Ruby slumped down in her seat. "I wish I really knew…", she replied. She was so bored, even that midday talk show playing on the TV was looking more interesting by the minute. And they weren't talking about anything interesting, either. The subject was just some weird diet that involved moldy lemons. It sounded gross.

Bolting out of her chair, Weiss declared, "I can't take this! I'm… going to get a drink.". With that, she spun in her heel and headed to the vending machines. As Ruby got back to work on the forms, Weiss was staring intently at the machines.

"_Should I get grape? Or orange? Or… durian? They really make soda in that flavor?_", Weiss thought to herself. It didn't matter what she got Ruby. As long as it had sugar in it, she would be fine with whatever soda she got. But, Weiss wanted to keep her figure. Settling on diet cola, she paid for her drink. She also got a cherry pop for Ruby.

Walking back over to the chairs, Weiss handed the soda to Ruby, and opened her own. Gulping down the beverage, Weiss resigned herself to her fate. Ruby really needed to talk to her sister about getting in pointless fights.

"What pictures do you think Velvet had?", Ruby asked out of the blue. Weiss shrugged at her question.

"Whatever they were, they were bad enough to get beaten up over.", noted Weiss. Ruby nodded sagely at the idea.

Both continued to work on the mountain of paperwork. Maybe they could start a petition to shorten the amount of paperwork here. That was an idea they filed away for later.

* * *

><p>It was nighttime when they finally finished the paperwork. Since they brought in two people, they had twice the amount of papers to fill out. Weiss was carrying a tired Ruby on her back as they made their way back to their room. They had been moving in silence ever since they left the Medical Ward.<p>

"Hey… Weiss?", Ruby said, getting Weiss' attention.

"What is it?", Weiss replied, wondering why Ruby decided to pipe up so suddenly.

"Can I… admit something?", Ruby asked, a little hesitant at her own words.

"You know you can always talk to me. It's okay.", Weiss replied.

Ruby took a deep breath. She got ready to get her words off of her chest. "I'm… scared. I'm really scared! What if the show fails? What if everyone laughs at me?! I don't wanna fail!", Ruby managed to squeak out. She had been holding in her doubts for a while, ever since she was able to get the show remade.

"I don't wanna fail…", Ruby whispered to herself. Now that she had gotten so far, if she failed, she would fall even farther.

Stopping, Weiss slid Ruby off of her back. Turning to face her, Weiss put her hands on Ruby's shoulders. Ruby's arms were stiff at her sides, her hands balled into fists.

"Don't you DARE say that, Ruby. Don't you dare!", Weiss said, locking her eyes with Ruby's.

"I don't care what other people may think. I KNOW that you put your heart into this show. Even if it fails, even if it crashes and burns, I'll still know that you put every ounce of your love into your work!", declared Weiss. She pulled Ruby into a hug.

"If you know your love is real, then that's all that matters. So, please, don't doubt yourself!", Weiss said on Ruby's ear. Ruby returned Weiss' hug.

Ruby was nearly speechless at Weiss' words. It was amazing how much faith she put into her girlfriend. It was true, she did put her heart into her show. But, now she knew that she had a net to catch her if she fell. Weiss would still be there by her side, even if she failed.

"T-thanks…", Ruby whispered, trying not to cry. Her girlfriend was so beautiful on the inside, in addition to the outside.

"Don't you give up, Ruby Rose…", Weiss whispered back. Letting go of the hug, Weiss turned around, offering her back for Ruby to climb on.

Hopping on Weiss, Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss' head. Her figure felt warm and nice under Ruby. As they moved on the walkway, Ruby started to pay attention to the rhythm of Weiss' heart. It pounded like a drum in her chest. To Ruby, it sounded better than any song that she had put into her music show.

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><p>They had finally arrived at their dorm room about ten minutes later. Ruby climbed off Weiss' back and unlocked the door. As Ruby walked toward Weiss' bunk, she stripped out of her clothes. However, what was different this time around was that she didn't bother to put on her pajamas. Weiss blushed at the sight.<p>

"R-ruby? What're you doing?", Weiss stuttered a little. She was mesmerized at the sight of Ruby in her simple red underwear set.

Ruby recoiled a little in nervousness, slightly covering herself up.

"I-I just want to be a l-little cl-closer to you, is all.", answered Ruby. Having said that, she then climbed into Weiss' bunk.

Weiss took her lead and took off her clothes as well. However, she decided to take off her bra as well, leaving her in just her plain white panties. She could hear Ruby's breath hitch a little at the sight.

Climbing into bed as well, Weiss snuggled up next to Ruby. Ruby's idea was a good one, all right. They WERE closer now. Ruby's exposed skin felt warm against Weiss'. She wanted Ruby to completely cover her, wanting to feel every inch of her lover.

Ruby finally managed to breathe something out. "This feels nice.", she said, a little strained. Ruby was trying to hold herself back. She didn't know if she was ready for this, but at the same time, it felt so right.

Moaning slightly, Weiss agreed. "You feel good, Ruby.". She nuzzled her head into Ruby's bosom. Suddenly, Weiss grew completely stiff as Ruby's breathing caused her stomach to tease her nipples. Wow, that felt good. Hoping to repay the favor, Weiss dipped her head to Ruby's bare midriff.

Ruby was feeling relaxed, until she felt something wet around her stomach. Looking down, she saw Weiss moving her tongue around her navel. It kind of tickled, and for some reason, she really liked that feeling. Ruby started to squirm a little.

"Hmm… n-nice…", Ruby moaned in delight. She could feel warmth grow in her chest. Ruby's breathing grew labored as Weiss dipped her tongue into her belly button. Unconsciously, Ruby began to shift her thighs together. Her lips pressed together tightly. Ruby was fully focused on Weiss' licks.

Weiss noticed Ruby's reaction to her foreplay session. Moving upwards, she decided to use her tongue a little more. Weiss started to lick around Ruby's collar bone. She could still taste a little of Ruby's sweat. She relished the taste of her lover as she moved her tongue in small circles. Ruby's moans fueled Weiss' teasing.

"OOhhhHHHhhh…", sounded Ruby as he voice wavered. She tried to push Weiss' head lower again. However, Weiss stopped at that moment. Ruby whimpered in annoyance at the lack of touch. She wanted more, she CRAVED more of Weiss.

However, Weiss moved her hand behind Ruby's back and unclasped her bra. Tossing it aside, Weiss was ready to continue her act. Ruby puffed her chest outwards, offering it to Weiss. Accepting the invitation, Weiss lowered her mouth onto one of Ruby's small, dark red nipples.

Positioning her mouth around the stiffened nub, Weiss began to suck roughly. She wanted to make Ruby feel the same way she would in her dreams. However, Ruby's moans were replaced by sounds of annoyance. Hearing her calls, Weiss then stopped sucking. Instead, she lightly scraped her teeth along Ruby's nipple. That got the right reaction out of her. At the feeling of Weiss' teeth, her body went rigid.

"Meeeepppp!", Ruby squeaked at the feeling of Weiss' mouth. By now, her heart was pounding in her chest. It felt like it was going to explode out of her.

Grabbing Weiss' head, she pulled her towards face, meeting her gaze. Ruby planted a rough kiss on Weiss' mouth. Ruby wasn't as good at using her tongue, but she slipped hers in Weiss' mouth regardless. She shoved Weiss' head harder against her lips, hoping to taste Weiss even more.

Finally letting go, Ruby decided to lick the rest of Weiss' face. Running her tongue over Weiss' lips and chin, she felt the flame in her chest drop below her stomach. Ruby rubbed her thighs together harder, hoping to get some kind of release.

However, Weiss gently grabbed Ruby by the shoulders and pushed her back a little, looking directly at her. "We can do the rest tomorrow...", she whispered. Even though she desperately needed Ruby's touch, she had used the last of her energy to play with Ruby. Today was a long, hard day.

Ruby pouted at the thought of losing out on Weiss. But then, she noticed the tired look in Weiss' eyes. Relenting, Ruby settled for cuddling next to Weiss, feeling the heat radiating from her bare skin. Feeling too hot, Ruby kicked the sheets off of the bed. Weiss was only the warmth she needed tonight.

Ruby rubbed her face against Weiss, feeling the goose-bumps rise on her chest. Closing her eyes, she listened to Weiss' gentle breathing.

"Tomorrow? You promise?", Ruby asked, still a little hungry for Weiss' touch.

"I promise.", breathed out Weiss, felling very tired now.

Eventually, the pair fell asleep in each other's arms.

Today was a good day.

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><p><strong>And there you have it! I hope this last part made up for Blake's fanfic! Remember, you can tell me your thoughts on the story on the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off on this citrus.<strong>


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Different Types Of Love

**Namaste, it's The Draigg here once again. Well, you guys mentioned it, and so I delivered! Have some White Rose lemon! Now, just remember that I don't own RWBY or anything else I may mention in this story. Now let's get to the chapter!**

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><p>Ruby woke up that Sunday at roughly eight o'clock. She had one of the greatest rests in her life that night. Weiss' midriff made for a great pillow. Ruby was sure that she would appreciate the compliment. However, she then realized that Weiss wouldn't appreciate the puddle of drool that she had made. Thinking quickly, Ruby tried to wipe her saliva off of Weiss.<p>

"Mmmm… that tickles…", Weiss moaned, now half awake. Ruby froze a little as she heard Weiss. Then, a thought hit her. She had never actually ticked Weiss. Moving her hands under Weiss' arms, Ruby readied her fingers.

Weiss wasn't expecting to be woken up by being tickled. Her shift from being half sleep to uncontrollable laughter was almost instant.

"HahahHAHAHAHAHA! Ru—RUBY! STO—HEEHEEHEHEHA T-THIS INSTAN—HAHAHEEEHEEEHEEEEEEEE!", Weiss tried to order between gasps for air. She tried to grab Ruby's body as she wriggled around in artificial stimulation.

Finally hooking her arms under Ruby's she started her own counter-tickling. It was now a flat out tickle war. The pair rolled around on their bed, teasing each other's armpits.

"HHHHAAAHAHAHA I-I surrender! I surrender!", Ruby plead. Weiss had proven herself to be an equal match. Letting go of Weiss, Ruby gave up. Weiss was quite the tickling champion, all right.

Breathing heavily, Ruby and Weiss both stared at the bottom of the top bunk, their hands interlocked.

"H-hey, *huff*, you're pretty *huff* good. Like a… *puff* tickle general.", Ruby complimented.

"Thanks.", Weiss said quickly, trying to catch her breath. Both lay together for a few minutes in silence. Now that was a good way to wake up. Certainly better than any alarm, that's for sure.

A memory popped into Ruby's head. "Remember what you promised last night?", she asked.

"Yeah. I do.", Weiss sighed as she calmed down. Then, an idea popped in her head. A sly grin crossed her face as she straddled Ruby.

"You surrendered earlier. That means you have to agree to my terms.", said Weiss, her mischievous grin spreading from ear to ear. Ruby gulped a little, but then tried to put on the same smile as Weiss.

"And what are those, General Weiss?", Ruby asked, catching onto Weiss' game. Now THIS was an interesting way to continue last night.

Weiss dipped her head lower, so that her lips were hovering over Ruby's by only an inch.

"This, to start.", she whispered, before planting a quick kiss on Ruby. A deep blush blossomed across Ruby's nose.

"I can agree to that…", Ruby said in a low voice, trying to sound sultry. "What else?".

That paused Weiss in her place. She had no actual idea how to continue her plan. Sitting up, she thought out loud.

"I… umm… hmmm…", she mumbled. It was hard to think of what to do next. How do two girls… do that stuff, exactly?

Seeing Weiss' face frozen in thought, Ruby decided to voice her own thoughts. "Can you… do the same as last night?", Ruby asked. She tried her best not to plead. It just felt too good to pass up that opportunity.

"Aren't you quite the hostile negotiator?", said Weiss, taking Ruby's advice. She shifted down lower, facing Ruby's chest. As Weiss started to lap between Ruby's small breasts, she could feel Ruby melt underneath her.

Weiss trailed her tongue lower and lower, down to Ruby's belly button. She licked around the small hole, which sent a shiver up Ruby's spine. Ruby grabbed Weiss' head and pressed her down hard, wanting Weiss to lick her more. Weiss got the idea, and started to press her tongue down harder.

As Weiss started to trail down lower, she was stopped by Ruby's panties. Pausing, she moved back up to Ruby.

Seeing Weiss' silent question, she replied. "Please… you can do it…".

Reaching down, Weiss shifted Ruby's underwear down around her thighs. Ruby, wanting Weiss to feel good too, grabbed the hem of Weiss' panties and shoved them down as well. However, both of them paused again.

Weiss settled on lying down on top of Ruby, planting another kiss on Ruby's lips. Wrapping her in a hug, Ruby asked, "What should we do now?". This was all new to the both of them.

"I think we should… umm… just get these off.", Weiss suggested. She pulled her panties down to her ankles, and then kicked them away. Ruby followed Weiss' example, removing her underwear as well.

The duo was now completely bare. Looking down, Ruby admired Weiss' perfect figure. The rest of her body was as white as her hair, as if Weiss was a porcelain doll. Weiss also didn't have that much body hair at all. She must have shaved regularly. Only a small patch of hair rested above her clitoris.

Weiss also took in the sight of Ruby's body as well. She looked even better now that not a stich remained on her. Ruby had more body hair than her, she noticed. But, instead of disgusting her, it made Weiss want Ruby even more. To her, it was seeing Ruby in her natural state, completely unaltered.

Feeling her lust growing down below, Ruby started to rub up against Weiss. She didn't know why, her body had taken over control. She didn't care, it felt good. Wanting to touch Weiss' private area, she slipped her hand between their bodies.

When Ruby's hand accidentally bushed up against Weiss' vagina, Weiss could feel her breath hitch in her throat. "HUUPPMTH!", she sounded.

Ruby noticed that her touching got a reaction, so she decided to move her fingers lower. She intentionally rubbed her fingers over Weiss' lower lips. That made Weiss release a small giggle.

"Ruby, you naughty girl!", Weiss squeaked out. Moving her hands around Ruby's chest, Weiss pressed Ruby's pert breasts together. With a greedy look in her eyes, Weiss began to suck on Ruby's nipples.

In response, Ruby began to rub her hand harder and faster. She kept on grazing Weiss' clit, making her jerk slightly every time. Ruby's hand grew slick with Weiss' arousal. Pulling her hand away, Ruby decided to taste her fingers. Weiss' nectar tasted great to her. It was certainly better than any cookie Ruby had ever eaten. Now, she wanted more of that taste. What better way than go directly to the source?

Squeezing out of Weiss' grasp, Ruby shifted lower, towards Weiss' dripping womanhood. She hoped she could use her tongue as good as Weiss. Lapping at Weiss, she could feel Weiss shake uncontrollably above her.

"Gaaahhhh!", Weiss gasped as Ruby moved her tongue around her lips. Her arms felt weak. Slumping over, Weiss started to drool on the sheets. Her rear was hanging in the air, Ruby's head between her legs.

Ruby could smell the musk coming from Weiss' vagina. She decided to dip her tongue between Weiss' lips, into the pink flesh in Weiss' center. Above her, Weiss' head shot up, her mouth agape. Small chokes came from Weiss' throat.

By now, Weiss was on the edge. This was WAY better than the last time she had slept with Ruby. Weiss was grateful that Ruby was gracing her with her touch. She only wished that she could do the same for her.

Ruby was still lapping up the streams of arousal that poured out of Weiss. Then, she could feel Weiss' hips move above her, rubbing against her head. As Weiss continued to move, Ruby found she couldn't keep up with the amount of nectar coming out of Weiss.

"I'ma- I'ma- I'ma- I'm gonna—HuuaaAHHH!" sputtered Weiss. Her come shot out, completely filling Ruby's mouth. Although Ruby swallowed it, she didn't like the taste too much. It was too bitter for her liking. Weiss lowered her rear as her body went slack. Her breath came out in ragged gulps. Drool was pouring out of the corner of her mouth.

Sliding from under Weiss, Ruby made her way to cuddle with Weiss. She didn't mind that Weiss was covered in a layer of sweat. Seeing her lying there, still twitching a little, made Ruby feel bothered around her private place. Even though Ruby was too focused on Weiss and her taste, her body wasn't. Unknown to her, her thighs were now slick with her own arousal.

Weiss could smell Ruby's arousal. Or was it her own? Regardless, Weiss wanted to make Ruby feel good too. But man, was she beat. Even though Ruby was an amateur, Weiss had to give credit where credit was due. Ruby made her feel this way. Rolling over, Weiss locked her gaze with Ruby's.

Wordlessly, she slipped her hand down to Ruby's vagina.

"Weiss? What're yoooouuUUUU-!", Ruby tried to ask as Weis started to move her fingers in circles around Ruby's folds. Her finger nails dug into Weiss' back. Wow! So THIS is what love really felt like! She could really get used to this!

Ruby's wetness made Weiss hand move faster and faster, up and down repeatedly. When her palm brushed against Ruby's clit, Ruby arched up in response. She spread her legs, inviting Weiss to go even faster. When Weiss heard Ruby's whimpers, she was driven to masturbate Ruby even harder.

Clawing at the nearest pillow, Ruby couldn't believe that Weiss could make her feel this way. Moving her legs up and down, Ruby's desire took over her motions. Her eyes were frozen open as she could feel Weiss slip a finger into her.

"WWwwEeEIIIiiSSSSS!", Ruby cried loudly as Weiss began to pump her finger in and out. Ruby felt like she was going to explode. Her heart beat faster than it did even in the fiercest fight. Her legs felt like they were made of jelly. This was it! Something was going to happen!

"KYYYYAHHHHHH!", sounded Ruby as the waves of an orgasm washed over her. Her come came out in small squirts, dampening the bed sheets. Ruby slumped down next to Weiss, her vision a little blurry. That was her first orgasm. Ruby was glad that it was Weiss that had given it to her. Now, their love had finally been consummated. It was a pact that neither would break.

Snuggling next to Ruby, Weiss ran her hand through Ruby's hair. Some of it still clung to her forehead with sweat. "You're… so great…", Weiss whispered to Ruby. There were no other words to describe what had happened. But, no words were needed to be said at all. The love they felt between each other was real. That was enough.

Watching the rays of sunlight pour through the window blinds, Ruby and Weiss basked in the aura of their love. This was the only world they wanted to live in. In each other arms, nothing bad could happen.

That morning was the best morning the duo had ever experienced.

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><p>By the time Team White Rose got up and ready, it was almost ten in the morning. Having left the room, the lovers were making their way to the Medical Ward. Apparently, a message had gotten sent to their scrolls that Blake was nearly fully recovered, and that Yang and Velvet were doing fine as well. Both Weiss and Ruby felt bad that they hadn't visited Blake earlier. They had gotten too caught up in their work to remember to visit their friend. That served as inspiration for the visit. That, and they also needed to check if Yang had murdered Velvet or not.<p>

Speaking of Yang, they weren't too thrilled to see her. Her 'protection' caused this whole scenario in the first place. They really needed to talk about Yang's over-protectiveness at some point. Hopefully not today.

"So… are you excited to see them?", Ruby asked Weiss. Given their history, she wasn't sure about how Weiss would react to seeing Yang.

"Yes, of course I am.", Weiss answered half truthfully. Of course, she was worried about the wellbeing of her friends. But, the blame she placed on Yang remained constant in the back of her mind. So, her feelings were mixed at best.

The sliding doors opened as Weiss and Ruby waltzed over to the main desk.

"Hello, we're here to see our friends. We checked them in under team RWBY.", Ruby said to the nurse working at the computer.

"Yeah, yeah. Go to Room 339.", the nurse said, waving them off. Dang visitors. If more kept interrupting her, she wouldn't be able to beat her high score in Tetris.

"Thanks!", shouted Ruby as she dashed down the hall to the patient rooms. Weiss followed closely behind her.

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><p>Blake and Velvet were doing well, with their injuries mostly healed. Well, they were doing well, physically, at least. Their mental state was in shambles, though. Sharing the room with a bored Yang was a fate they wouldn't wish on their worst enemies.<p>

Sure, it was nice to hear her apologize profusely for injuring the both of them. Her apologies went something like "I'm so fucking sorry", and "You can beat me the fuck up". Both Velvet and Blake heavily considered her offer. But, they decided to forgive Yang instead. If they tried to hurt Yang, then Blake and Velvet would most likely end up hurting themselves on accident.

But then, Yang decided to tell some 'jokes'.

"What do you say about a lazy sewage worker? He's doing a 'shitty' job! Eh? EH?!". Yang said with a loopy grin on her face. It was at this point that Weiss and Ruby walked into their room.

Hearing the door open, everyone shifted their attention to the newcomers.

"Heya, lovebirds! How's the coop doin'?", Yang greeted Weiss and Ruby.

"Ruby, can you come over here?", asked Blake. Complying, Ruby walked over to Blake's bed.

"Now, can you take my pillow?", Blake asked, her tone completely calm. Confused, Ruby grabbed the pillow from under Blake's head.

"Smother me. I can't take another joke.", ordered Blake, closing her eyes. She could forgive the punch, since she kind of deserved it after throwing Yang down a flight of stairs. It was karmic balance. Heck, she even promised Yang a free shot after doing it. But she couldn't stomach another of Yang's attempts at humor.

"If you're going to do that, I want it first.", croaked Velvet from the other bed. What had she ever done to deserve this?! Velvet just wanted to go home. She really wanted her dad right about now.

"Did she tell the one about the Ferris Wheel?", Ruby asked, placing the pillow back under Blake's head.

The response she got was groans from Blake and Velvet, and a "Hell yeah!", from Yang.

Hoping to get their visit on the right track, Weiss said, "Good news, Blake. We've gotten the stage ready for the show.". This only improved Blake's mood a little.

"Good. I want to see it as soon as I'm discharged.", Blake replied.

"So… how's the head?", Ruby asked to nobody in particular.

"I'm feeling carrots. I mean, fine.", Blake replied. She had to shake her head to use the right words.

"They're keeping her until Tuesday for a reason.", Yang pointed out. Ruby and Weiss ignored Yang's statement.

"How about you, Velvs?", questioned Ruby.

"Oh, not bad. But, do you think you can bring me some pants? I… lost my skirt.", requested Velvet with a blush. It felt embarrassing, being exposed like that in public. If she wasn't trying to defend herself, she would have fled at the sheer indignity.

"I'm glad the both of you are doing fine.", Weiss concluded.

"Uhh, what about me?", Yang asked. Why was she left out?

"Ohh… I'm sure you're fine.", deflected Weiss.

"Hold up, hold up. Are you avoiding me?", Yang said, suspicious.

"Well, you DID cause those other injuries…", Ruby mumbled, digging the toe of her boot into the tiled floor. She didn't want to have this conversation today.

"I did it to protect you!", Yang cried incredulously.

Weiss tried to step in. "She doesn't NEED your defense!", she shot back.

"Did I ask you? I was talking to my sister!", Yang replied.

"I… I… I'm a grown up, Yang.", Ruby justified, "I mean, I have a girlfriend! I'm working on my career as a Huntress! Heck, I've put together a stage show! What I'm saying is… is… maybe I don't need you to protect me like this anymore.". Ruby couldn't meet Yang's gaze. It was a tough thing to admit, but she wasn't a little girl anymore. She couldn't afford to be, for the sake of her friends. Especially for the sake of Weiss.

Yang stared at her sister in disbelief. Her heart sunk like a stone as her sister's words sunk in. She knew this day had to come eventually. But, even all the mental prep she had for this moment couldn't predict Ruby's words. Every word stung like the lash of a whip.

Lowering her head, Yang said, "I guess this day finally came.". Her hollow laughter filled the room. "I guess… you don't need me anymore.".

"Yang, I didn't mean—", Ruby tried to explain before getting cut off.

"No, no.", Yang interrupted. "You're a beautiful young lady now. Just leave it to your older sister to fuck shit up.", said Yang, despair filling her voice. To her, it sounded like Ruby didn't want to see her again.

Ruby walked to Yang's bed and enveloped her sister in a hug.

"Don't think that way, Yang! I don't want you to go! But please, just let me be me!", Ruby pleaded. She tried her hardest not to cry.

Weiss couldn't help but remember her own situation with her own sister. All the memories flooded back to her mind. She never liked to talk about her. Hell, she even tried to forget her. But at the same time, she couldn't fully hate her for who she was. But, when Weiss left for Beacon, she hoped that she could walk away from all the disagreements they had. Neither sister was in the wrong, but neither was completely blameless, either.

However, she never knew it could happen to other people. The only difference with Yang and Ruby was that they were willing to talk about their problems. Weiss wished that she could talk to Winter like that.

"You don't want me to go?", Yang asked, a little confused. Her fears had led her to thinking that Ruby would cut her off entirely.

Velvet and Blake had nothing to say about what they were witnessing. They didn't dare intrude on something like this. There was nothing they could possibly say that could help.

"Promise you won't leave me. Promise!", Ruby cried. Her hug tightened around Yang.

"I… I guess I can stick around, if you want me to.", Yang replied. Ruby was still Ruby. She didn't want her to leave. Her heart had enough room for everybody, herself included. Smiling a little, she tousled Ruby's hair.

Weiss walked up and placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder. Tears were clinging to the corners of her eyes. Why couldn't she have this with her own sister? All of those repressed feelings shot back to Weiss at that moment.

"Ruby… Yang… I'm so proud of you two.", Weiss choked out. All of those locked away emotions surged from her heart as she flung herself at Yang and Ruby for a group hug. This was her family now. If she was dating Ruby, Yang was her sister now, too. Maybe through Yang, Weiss could confront her own demons regarding Winter.

The sun shone brightly on the room. The golden light bathed the new family that was in the room. Maybe, just maybe, if all of them could learn to know each other, learn to love each other, maybe Weiss could find her family here at Beacon, too.

Family, as established by the earliest definition, was the group of people you associated the closest with. So, even if you didn't know your parents any more, or had bad blood between siblings, that doesn't mean you didn't have family.

Family is made of the people you choose to love.

Ruby, Weiss, and now Yang, were a family. Blake, Velvet, and Team JNPR were also making headway into Weiss' heart, as well. Hopefully, someday Weiss could understand her own biological relatives. That way, she could bring them into the family she had made at Beacon.

Weiss wouldn't have it any other way.

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><p><strong>And, there's another chapter done. I really hoped you folks like it. I hope the inclusion of Weiss' sister to the narrative doesn't seem too jarring. It was too good of an opportunity for me to pass up. Anyway, just tell me your thoughts about that in the reviews section. Oh, and about the lemon, too. Yeah, writing lemon without having it sound stupid is really tricky. So, this is The Draigg signing off, hoping this chapter was good.<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: J-Poppin'

**Sieg Zeon! It's The Draigg here, with another model of this story for you guys! After painting it red and making it three times faster, I hope you'll like it! Now, I should let you soldiers know that I don't own the registration of RWBY, or any other media I utilize in the battlefield of writing. Now, for the Zabi family, let's begin!**

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><p>Overall, the visit to the Medical Ward went well on Sunday. After that sisterly bonding moment with Yang and Ruby, their visit didn't last long after that. So, they had promised to bring Velvet some pants for Velvet, and left for the dorm room. The rest of that day was spent on working on homework. The teachers had really dumped it on them in one go. They needed to get it done early, so they could pick up Yang and Velvet on Monday morning.<p>

Speaking of Monday morning, it wasn't going well for a variety of reasons. For starters, Weiss and Ruby forgot to get Velvet's waist size. So, they decided to just pack a bag full of different sized pants, just in case. Also, once they arrived at the cafeteria, Weiss and Ruby found out that they were all out of any good food. The pair was absolutely starving this morning.

"And so then I dove into the pool of melted butter, where the Fey King was waiting for me!", Nora dramatically exclaimed, describing her latest dream. Since Ren hadn't intervened so far, that meant that her memory was still fresh this morning.

Ruby and Weiss weren't paying too much attention. Instead, they were eying the breakfast that their friends were enjoying. Weiss' mouth was watering at the sight of the vegetarian omelet that Pyrrha was currently eating. Ruby was flat out drooling, thinking of stealing the sugary cereal Jaune had in front of him.

Ren had noticed this, and shifted his plate closer to himself. Nobody would lay a hand on his toast other than himself! However, his movement only drew attention to himself. He could feel Ruby and Weiss' eyes drilling into his breakfast.

"Heyyyyy… Ren, my pal, my friend. How about uh… giving me some toast?", Ruby asked, trying her best to look innocent. Ren wasn't buying her act in the slightest.

"Ruby, please! Don't bother Ren like that!", scolded Weiss. Her plan of attack was to make it look like she was on Ren's side. It was a better idea than just flat out begging.

However, Ren regarded Weiss with suspicion as well. He saw that hunger in her body language. It looked like she was trying to eat his toast with her eyes.

Hoping to put an end to this annoyance, he looked at Ruby and Weiss directly. Staring at them, he shoved a piece of toast in his mouth. Chewing it, he furrowed his brow at the two. He dared them to do something about it.

Ruby gasped, and weakly reached out to the toast in Ren's hand. "Aww…", she whimpered. Ruby's stomach audibly growled.

"It's okay Ruby.", Weiss said, pulling down Ruby's hand. She did this while giving a death glare at Ren. Ren could care less how she felt. It was his food, not hers. He sure as hell needed the energy from the food to deal with Nora all day.

Weiss glanced at her scroll. Oh no! They needed to leave now to pick up Yang and Velvet! Grabbing Ruby as she tried to swipe one of Nora's pancakes, she excused themselves from the table.

"Sorry, but we have to go. Come, Ruby.", Weiss said quickly. Pulling Ruby along behind her, the pair left the cafeteria. However, in their hurry, they had forgotten the bag full of pants. They didn't even notice as they walked to the Medical Ward.

Meanwhile, in Room 339…

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><p>"Come on, Velvet, are you gonna get out of bed, or what?", Yang asked. It was a good thing she had her jacket to cover up the large tear in her shirt. Velvet, however, wasn't as lucky.<p>

"I-I'm fine, thank you.", replied Velvet, clinging the bed sheets tighter.

Now that Velvet wasn't afraid for her life, she could fully worry about not having any pants or skirt to wear. As a result, she refused to get out of bed. Velvet didn't want to expose herself to everyone like that. It was either walk out of the room without pants, or in a hospital gown. Neither option was good. She really hoped that Weiss and Ruby would pull through for her.

So, when Team White Rose walked into the room, she expected to be carrying some pants. But, to her horror, she didn't see them with anything.

"Wha-what about the pants?", Velvet asked in shock. How could they possibly forget?

Ruby and Weiss froze in their tracks as Velvet opened her mouth. Oh crap, they left the pants bag behind!

"Ohh… poopie.", Ruby muttered under her breath. She turned to Weiss. "What should we do?", she asked.

"We should… umm…", Weiss pondered. If they went back to the cafeteria to get the pants, then they would be late for class. Or, they could ditch Velvet and get there on time. Or, the third option was that Velvet could swallow her pride and just go with them in her current state.

Maybe there was something they could use to cover up Velvet. Weiss looked around the room for something suitable for Velvet to wear. All she saw was Blake asleep in her bed. Wait! Blake's clothes! They were folded up next to her!

Swiping Blake's shorts, but leaving the stockings, Weiss tossed the clothes at Velvet.

"Get dressed. We're leaving in ten minutes.", ordered Weiss as she walked out of the room. Ruby followed after her.

"Wait! We're just going to take Blake's pants?", Ruby asked as she walked behind Weiss.

"Oh, I'm sure she won't mind. Plus we'll bring her a pair tomorrow.", Weiss said, waving away Ruby's current concerns. They had a bigger one right now, anyway. The both of them were starving. Their path took them directly to the vending machines.

Seeing a pack of cookies, Ruby tried to grab at them. Her hand was blocked by the glass display window. Embarrassed at how desperate she was, Ruby looked over to Weiss.

"Can I have cookies for breakfast?', she pleaded. Maybe her sad eyes would work better on Weiss than they did on Ren.

Weiss considered this in her head. On the one hand, Ruby having sugar this early was always a bad idea. But, on the other hand, they were pretty cheap. And, damn, those puppy-dog eyes were melting her heart. Ruby was too excellent at manipulation for her own good.

Relenting, Weiss put some lien in the slot and bought two bags of cookies. She needed to eat, too. Weiss didn't even care if it was unhealthy, empty calories. It felt like her stomach was trying to eat itself.

Sitting down in the lobby, Ruby and Weiss munched on their cookies, and watched some cheesy morning news show. If it wasn't for the fact that they were picking up their friends at the hospital, Weiss wished they could do something like this more often. It was nice to relax with your girlfriend. Given their hectic work schedule, they couldn't do this often.

Yang and Velvet walked over to them a few minutes later, fully dressed. To say that Velvet looked odd was an understatement. Since she was wearing her uniform at the time of the fight, she still had her blouse and jacket. However, the white shorts that were stolen from Blake really clashed with the formal looking top half of her body. Plus, Velvet felt uncomfortable showing that much of her legs. Oh well, at least it was better than nothing.

Standing up, Weiss grabbed Ruby's empty bag and threw away their trash. Facing the others, she offered, "Let's go to class, shall we?".

The motley team walked out of the doors, read to deal with the day.

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><p>Later that day, Ruby had messaged the others to show up to Team RWBY's dorm room for some impromptu practice. Team JNPR didn't mind, since they were neighbors, anyway. Velvet protested a little, but then she relented when Ruby convinced her that practice was absolutely necessary tonight.<p>

So, when the time came, everyone except the still incapacitated Blake arrived to the dorm room. Ruby decided today would be dedicated to one specific subject: foreign pop. And, feeling the need to get in the mood, Ruby struck a pose when everyone got settled in.

She had spread her legs apart as far as they could go, put one hand on her hip, and the other one tugged at her shirt collar. Naturally, everyone was confused at her posing. Why did she keep on insisting on doing poses?

Once she dropped the pose, Ruby announced, "Thanks for coming, everyone! Now, we're focusing on something special today!". She looked directly at Ren. "You probably have a good idea what it is.", she said.

Ren rolled his eyes and sighed. Just because he had eastern blood running through his veins, that didn't mean that he was obsessed with everything his culture had made. "Oh, I bet I do.", Ren muttered under his breath.

Turning back to everyone, Ruby declared, "That's right! Pop music! Now, can you all take out your scrolls?". As the group did so, Ruby smiled to herself. So far, so good.

"Now, if you look at the song list I sent you, there are two choices for the pop song. We either have, '_Just Communication_' or '_Rhythm Emotion_'. Which one do you guys want? I mean, I'm fine with either choice you make.", Ruby explained further.

"Why just those two?", Jaune asked. It stuck him as odd when she only gave them two choices.

"They fit in the most.", justified Ruby.

"And how do you expect us to pick one if we haven't heard them before?", Weiss also pointed out. Even if she was Ruby's girlfriend, Weiss still had no clue what really went on in Ruby's head.

"Look, I'm just asking for an opinion, okay? Just tell me something!", Ruby said. She was losing her patience. This should be a simple decision!

"Well, I'm putting in my vote for '_Rhythm Emotion_'.", Pyrrha decided.

"But you haven't even listened to it!", Ren said, exasperated.

"The title sounds nice.", Pyrrha said.

Ren hung his head low. He could have sworn that these people were smarter when he first met them. Well, at least Nora stayed the same. Yet again, that wasn't saying much. Looking over at her scroll, she was messing around on the drawing application. Noticing Ren looking at her, Nora showed him her picture. It was two stick figures, holding hands under a smiling sun. One had the word 'me' overhead, the other one had 'Ren'. Nora beamed proudly at her handiwork.

It was a good thing nobody he knew could read minds, Ren mused to himself. Otherwise, they would be driven mad trying to figure Nora out.

"Good job.", Ren flatly stated, humoring Nora. Well, if it made her happy, he didn't have much ground to dispute what she did. He turned his attention back to the discussion at hand.

"Ruby, if you wrote the song list, why don't you just pick the song yourself?", Weiss questioned.

Ruby didn't know how to answer that. To be honest, she didn't think this part through too well. Both songs were so good! She just couldn't pick one over the other! And she really should have seen her friend's indecision coming miles away. They were helping her set up, not write the show, after all.

"Fine! I'll decide myself!", she declared. She stomped over to the desk and pulled out her headphones. Plugging them into her scroll, she started to listen to the songs repeatedly.

Twenty five minutes later, Ruby made no progress whatsoever. Nobody had anything to do, so they had just decided to leave. Velvet in particular was a little miffed. She didn't want to show up today in the first place, and it amounted to nothing.

With the room empty except the members of Team RWY, Ruby continued to repeat the songs. Yang and Weiss were getting a little worried. It wasn't healthy to sit around listening to the same songs for nearly a half hour.

"Err, Rubes? You can stop now.", Yang said, trying to put her hand on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby hissed at Yang and kept on listening to the songs. Yang retracted her hand in surprise. Who in their right mind hissed at people?

Turning to Weiss, Yang shrugged. They didn't know what to do to get Ruby back to reality. But, if they didn't think of something, both knew that Ruby would stay up for days trying to decide. She was already focusing, with her eyes closed in concentration.

Team Freezerburn huddled together to form a plan. Hopefully, whatever they could think of would work.

* * *

><p>"Ohh Rubyyyyy~! Look what I've gotttt~!", Weiss called, holding a cookie that she had pulled out of Ruby's emergency stash. Her senses picking up the signs of a cookie nearby, Ruby opened her eyes.<p>

"_Ohh! Cookie! MINE._", Ruby thought as she spotted the treat in Weiss' hand. Getting out of her seat, Ruby reached out with both hands for the cookie.

"_Great! She fell for the bait!_", Weiss thought to herself. Now it was all up to Yang.

Sneaking behind her sister, Yang ripped the headphones off of Ruby's head. Confused, Ruby's head darted between her headphones and the cookie. Wait! That was a trick? But… cookies never betrayed her!

"Come on Ruby, I've got a treat for you...", Weiss purred as she shoved the cookie down her shirt. Now, Ruby couldn't resist what was in front of her.

"Hey! That wasn't part of the plan!", protested Yang.

"It is now. You might want to leave the room for about… ten minutes.", Weiss retorted. Ruby was already starting to paw at Weiss' blouse.

Grumbling, Yang walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Man, it felt weird to be exiled out of the dorm room. Especially at the hands of her sister! Slumping against the door, Yang tried to distract herself. She didn't want to hear her sister banging the Ice Princess.

Well, it was a good of time as any to listen to the songs Ruby recommended. Since she still had Ruby's headphones, she plugged them into her own scroll. Listening to the songs, Yang realized that Ruby had a point. It was hard to say which one was better.

Hopefully, someone would make a choice along the way.

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><p><strong>Alert! Another chapter has launched! Only you can choose which song you want in the reviews section! Now hurry, I have to scramble in my own MS unit! This is The Draigg, signing off on comms.<strong>


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Black Cat's Path

**Hey bro/sis, it's your amigo, The Draigg here with another bodacious chapter for y'all to digest with your eyes. As an aside, I would like to thank all of my readers for the reviews. Keep them up, troopers! Also, I don't own RWBY or any other media I mention. Now, let's catch that reading wave! Cowabunga!**

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><p>Blake woke on that Tuesday morning feeling refreshed. Her wounds were healed, she got to relax for a few days, and now she was ready to move back to her daily routine. Now, all she needed to do was put on her clothes and walk out those sliding doors.<p>

Yep, there were her stockings, her shirt, her shoes, her… wait. Where were her shorts? She could have sworn they were with the rest of her clothes when they were folded up. Blake looked under her bed. Nope, her shorts weren't there. Looking around the room, Blake saw that they weren't anywhere.

Great. Fantastic. Goddamn enlightening. She was marooned in the Medical Ward with no shorts. And where the hell was the rest of her team? She thought they would be here to pick her up. Oh wait, it's Tuesday. Knowing them, Team RWY must be sleeping in. Blake kicked herself mentally for not seeing that coming.

But, oddly enough, it wasn't the fact that her shorts were missing was what bothered Blake. What really concerned her was that she wouldn't be able to control her urges. A lot of her fantasies involved exhibitionism, and now that she didn't have her shorts just fueled her desires. Sure, her stockings covered her legs a little, but her underwear would still be visible.

If she wanted to make it over to her team's dorm with her dignity intact, Blake would need to improvise. She looked around the room for anything to use. Well, the blankets were the best she could do.

Wrapping the sheets around her waist, Blake set off to her dorm room. Her friends would get an earful about this.

* * *

><p>Yang was having a nice dream. After winning a MMA tourney for the middleweight title, she rode off on her motorcycle. To her surprise, it transformed into a robot so they could solve mysteries across the kingdom together.<p>

However, her dream was rudely interrupted when she heard a loud thump coming from the window. Opening her eyes and rolling on her side, Yang saw an interesting sight. Blake was lying face down, sprawled out in front of the now open window. For some reason, she was wearing some hospital sheets around her waist. Blinking, Yang then looked over at the clock. It read eight thirty in the morning. Ughh, it was too early to deal with this. Yang rolled back over, wanting to go back to sleep.

Blake picked herself off of the floor. It was a good thing her ninja skills involved climbing practices. Ha, and everyone said that watching all of that anime wouldn't pay off. What her ninja training didn't prepare her for, however, was how to deal with strenuous activities after head trauma.

Scrambling over to the nearest trashcan, Blake vomited all of the contents of her stomach. She only had some oatmeal for breakfast, but she still needed to hurl up something. When she stopped, it felt like she burst several blood vessels in her neck.

Crawling over to her bed, she collapsed halfway hanging off of it. Blake felt like she marched through Xiabalba and back just to get home. She just needed to rest. She could scold her teammates later today.

As Blake closed her eyes to take a cat nap, Weiss woke up to a horrible smell. Ugh! What was that stench! It was wafting over from nearby. Weiss inspected Ruby, who was lying next to her. Did Ruby cause that stench? No, Weiss didn't see any signs of bodily fluids at all. Crawling out of bed, Weiss inspected the room.

Blake was wrapped in some sheets, slumped halfway on her bed. There was some lingering vomit on her chin. Oh, that explained it. "_Hey, Blake is back!_", Weiss' mind clicked. However, she didn't dare to wake her. That would just be plain rude to do.

If Blake had vomited, then she must have done it in the trash can. Walking over to it, her assumptions were proven correct. What the interior of the garbage looked like was almost indescribable. At best, it looked like a crime against humanity was committed against this trash bag.

Pinching her nose, Weiss grabbed the bag and flung it out of the open window. There, problem solved. After she closed the window, Weiss climbed back into bed. At least this day couldn't get bad for her. She could feel it in her bones.

* * *

><p>The universe shifted it's gaze on one Cardin Winchester at that moment in time. He was currently tending the bushes growing against the Dormitory Wing.<p>

Cardin didn't like this job in the slightest. In fact, he detested it. But, it was his school mandated punishment for switching a documentary on exercise habits with softcore porn. He made that lecture interesting! And there was no way that some people didn't appreciate _Shackled Passion: Prisoners in Heat_.

Trimming the hedges, Cardin reflected on his punishment. Trying to look on the bright side, he thought this punishment at least couldn't get worse.

Then, to his surprise, a bag of vomit landed right in front of his feet.

"What the…?!", he cried out in surprise. Looking up, he saw a window closing. Who the hell just tosses a bag of vomit out a window?! Well, at least it didn't hit him. If it did, the Gods would just be mocking him at that point.

However, Cardin wouldn't be walking away from this un-traumatized. Unknown to him, the crows nesting in the nearby trees were hungry. Very hungry. All of them picked up the scent of food nearby. It would be an easy meal, if they could get to it. However, some big thing on two legs was standing in front of the food. Maybe he wanted to get it first! The crows wouldn't stand for that.

Cardin spotted a crow landing nearby. Whatever, it was just some bird. But, when another three landed next to the first one, he grew confused. Why were they landing next to him? Then, it clicked in his mind. That was free food he was standing in front of.

Oh. Shit.

Backing away, he saw at least a dozen more crows landing next to him. Cardin needed to run. FAST.

Sprinting away, the murder of crows flew after Cardin. That big thing wouldn't get their food! Diving down, they pecked and scratched at the thing's head. Ha! That'll teach it not to mess with their food!

"WHY?!", Cardin screamed as he was being attacked by a bunch of birds. There certainly was some irony at play when someone named after a bird was being mobbed by a whole bunch of the real deal.

The universe gives, subverts, but then gives anyway.

* * *

><p>At around nine o'clock, Yang's body decided that she had enough sleep. She leapt out of bed, ready to start the day. Unfortunately, Yang landed on Blake's feet.<p>

"GAAAHHHHHHH!", Blake howled in pain. She felt something pop out of place a little.

Speaking of waking up, Weiss and Ruby were startled awake by Blake's screams. Great, would they need to take her to the Medical Ward again? This whole hospital saga was just getting tedious by now.

Well, at least her feet didn't look broken. It took some careful observance by Weiss and Ruby to determine that, since Blake was currently screaming into a pillow and punching her mattress.

"OOWWWWW! OOOWWWWWWWWWWW! FUUUUUCCCCKKK!", is what a person would have heard if Blake wasn't coving her mouth with her favorite pillow. However, anything she said after that point was complete gibberish.

"Oh my god! Blake!", Yang cried as she cradled Blake in her arms. "I'm sorry! Sorry!", she profusely apologized.

"HHGGRRLLFLGLLL!", was Blake's reply, muffled by the pillow. By now she was wiggling in Yang's embrace in agony.

"I didn't mean it, Blake! I'm so sorry!", Yang continued to apologize.

"ARRGHFLIGIGHH!", Blake cried.

"I'll make it better, I swear!", promised Yang. She was trying her best to comfort her girlfriend.

It was at this point that Blake regained the ability to form coherent words. None of them were very kind.

"FUCK YOU, YANG XIAO LONG!", she yelled at the top of her lungs. How much pain did she have to endure at the hands of her lover?!

Now, Blake's cries of pain turned into hysterical laughter. Her foot pain was only amplified by the massive headache she was suffering through.

"HAHAHAHAHAhahahaHAHAHAAAAAaaaaaAAa!", Blake bellowed.

Team RWY had no idea what to do. Blake's aura was probably drained enough from that head injury. That's probably why she was suffering more than usual from Yang's foot crushing. A quick glance of Ruby's scroll confirmed that. Blake's aura was in the red.

What could they do to soothe Blake? Or, failing that, raising her aura so her now swelling feet could heal themselves?

Wait, if aura was tied to willpower and the state of a mind, they could do something along those lines! Thinking quickly, Weiss recalled a song from memory and started to sing:

_"__Come along with me/To a place beside the sea_

_We can wander through the forest/And do so as we please"_

_"__Come along with me/To a cliff under a tree_

_Where we can gaze upon the water/As an everlasting dream"_

Blake's cries died down a little. Ruby glanced at her scroll. Her team meter showed that Blake's aura was slowly rising.

_"__All of my affections/I give them all to you_

_Maybe by next summer/We won't have changed our tunes"_

_"__I still want to be/In this place beside the sea_

_Making up new numbers/And living so merrily"_

Weiss looked at Ruby's scroll out of the corner of her vision. Seeing that Blake's aura was a mid-range yellow, Weiss was encouraged to keep on singing. Blake was starting to feel better.

_"__All of my affections/I give them all to you_

_I'm eager for you always/And always keep for you"_

_"__Come along with me/To a place beside the sea_

_We can wander through the forest/And do so as we please_

_Living so merrily"_

Finishing her song, Weiss grabbed her own scroll and looked at the team's aura readings. Blake's reading showed that her aura was a steady green. An icon next to her picture showed that her aura was working on healing her injuries. Since her swollen feet were a relatively minor injury compared to her head trauma, Blake's aura was heling them at a steady rate.

Ruby's hands clasped together. "Wow!", she exclaimed, "What a song!".

Weiss rubbed the back of her head and slightly blushed. "It was nothing, really…", she said, downplaying her accomplishment. Even though she was getting used to singing in public, Weiss still felt a little embarrassed at the thought of overwhelming praise because of it. It just felt weird.

"You did great, Weiss-y!", Yang complimented. She was thankful that her girlfriend was feeling better because of her singing.

"Please, don't call me that again.", requested Weiss. She had enough nicknames already. She didn't want another.

Blake lightly stood on her tender feet. She patted Weiss on the shoulder. "I owe you my thanks.", Blake said, grateful. "Now, you.", she said, turning to Yang.

With one swift motion, Blake yanked down Yang's shorts. "Now we're even", she noted. Now she understood Yang a little better. Vengeance felt pretty good, Blake had to admit.

Unfortunately for Weiss and Ruby, they got an eyeful of Yang's wooly crotch.

"Aaiiieeee!", Weiss screeched, covering her eyes. Ruby's vision glazed over, frozen in absolute horror.

Pulling up her shorts, Yang blushed. "Not cool, Blake! Not. Cool.", she said through gritted teeth. Standing there awkwardly for a minute, Yang then dashed into the bathroom. Now she had a good idea how Velvet felt all the time.

Blake then turned away to put on some new clothes. She didn't notice Ruby frozen in place. Weiss, however, waved her hand in front of Ruby's eyes. She didn't blink or move at all.

"I think you broke her.", noted Weiss with concern to Blake.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Just give it some time.", suggested Blake.

Weiss wasn't so sure. She carried Ruby, still stiff as a board, over to her bunk. Laying her down, Weiss crawled next to her. She tried cooing in her ear. Well, that got her moving. Unfortunately, Ruby then started to cry into Weiss' nightgown.

This was going to be a long Tuesday. A long, long, Tuesday.

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><p><strong>Ah-ha! I bet you weren't expecting another song! To give credit, it's the song 'Christmas Island' by Lake. I like, and so should you, dear reader. Anyway, remember to tell me your thoughts in the reviews section! I love hearing from my beloved readers! This is The Draigg, signing off on the here and now.<strong>


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: A Simple Request

**Psst, hey, it's me, The Draigg. I've stashed the latest chapter in the fake rock under the tree. Now, before you pick up the drop, you should know that Monty Oum owns RWBY. Plus, I don't own anything else I mention. Now, get out of here before you get us spotted.**

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><p>Tuesday wasn't looking up compared to the morning. Especially after lunch. While Team RWBY decided to have their meal at the snack bar, most of the students and staff ate in the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the cafeteria staff was rather undermanned. Most of their budget for food went towards paying all of those nutritionists Beacon hired. So, the cooks cut corners where they could.<p>

Unfortunately for two-thirds of Beacon, the staff that day decided that the frozen portions of last week's eggplant casserole were still edible. It didn't LOOK rotten. Settling on that for the lunch menu, it was served that day to a lot of students and teachers.

As a result of the collective food poisoning, most of the afternoon classes were cancelled. A lot of the students had to be cooped up in their rooms to get better. Many of the teachers also got bowel incontinence from the cafeteria staff's incompetence. Well, that actually made Team RWBY's day look up. That meant their classes were completely cancelled for today. It was like a weekend in the middle of the week!

Lounging around in their room afternoon, everyone was minding their own business. Blake was working on a one-shot story, Yang was shadowboxing, Ruby was reading a comic book, and Weiss was checking her email on her scroll.

So far, it seemed like her regular mail. Ads, friend requests, and news updates. But as she scrolled down, she saw a message that made her stomach drop. It was a message from her sister, Winter.

With a nervous finger, she tapped the email to read it. It read:

* * *

><p><em>Sister:<em>

_As you may be aware, your education is of the utmost importance to the Schnee family. Looking over your reports, we have noticed that your grades have slightly slipped. We are concerned about your marks. As a result of your failure to meet standards, we are sending over a representative of ours to inspect your learning environment. Expect our agent to arrive at Beacon Academy's air dock on Saturday at nine in the morning. Don't disappoint us. We expect only the best._

_Regards,_

_Winter Schnee_

_Acting Representative/Executor of the Schnee Estate_

* * *

><p>Weiss' eyes glazed over after reading the message. After all the trouble she went through to escape her family, she was pulled right back in. They wouldn't understand what she's done here. They COULDN'T understand. Her family might take away everything she worked so hard for here: the play, her friends, Ruby.<p>

They might take away Ruby.

No, she couldn't let them! She had made a promise never to leave her! She couldn't break her oath! If she did… she didn't know how Ruby could possibly forgive her. Weiss didn't know how she could possibly forgive herself.

"Haha! Weiss, look! It's so funny!", Ruby chuckled. She sat next to Weiss, holding her comic book over to her.

However, when she saw her girlfriend's frozen face, she immediately grew concerned. "Wh-what's wrong?", Ruby asked. She didn't like seeing Weiss like this.

Wordlessly, Weiss handed over her scroll to Ruby. Dropping her comics, Ruby took the scroll and read the email. She scanned her eyes over the message.

"But… but… why now? We're so close to actually accomplishing something!", cried Ruby in disbelief. Why did this have to happen when they were so close to making a dream come true!

"What's the deal, now?", Yang asked, stopping her practicing. Blake also looked up from her laptop.

"Weiss' family is sending someone over to inspect us.", explained Ruby. Weiss nodded in silence. She was still in too much shock to say anything.

"What? That sounds like a massive invasion of privacy. And decency.", Blake said.

"Yeah, I don't like the fact that some corporate suit can come in here and judge us. We are who we are!", Yang agreed.

"We should do something, right?", Ruby asked her team. They needed to help Weiss. That's what having friends was for!

Weiss hung her head down low. "I should leave.", she mumbled to herself. She couldn't let her family life ruin her friends. If she just ran away, she could spare the people she loved.

"What?! No, we'll do our best! We can help! I swear!", Ruby exclaimed, trying to comfort Weiss.

"You don't understand. None of you do!", Weiss exclaimed, her voice rising. The others were stunned by her outburst.

"You don't get it! Everything I do, they ruin! Everything I touch, they take away! Everything I love… they make disappear!", Weiss cried out, "Do you know what it's like, to have your family rule your life?! DO YOU?! NO! YOU DON'T!".

Weiss threw her hands up in the air in frustration. Her family was like a force of destruction. All it did was roll over her and strip away everything that made Weiss who she was. She felt completely bare against their might. She slumped down in her seat.

"But… if I run away… maybe I can save all of you.", she whispered lowly. Tears fell down on her lap. Her fists curled into tight balls.

Ruby felt the need to say something. It was her job as leader to get her team through tough times. It her true calling in life.

She pulled up Weiss' head to meet her gaze. Ruby's eyes hardened over, her will strengthened. She wouldn't let anybody hurt her girlfriend!

"Weiss, do you know who we are? We're Team RWBY! We aren't some… helpless damsels who need rescuing! We all took an oath as Huntresses to help the helpless! In the face of fear, we laugh! To pain, we smile! So, don't think for a MINUTE that we can't help you!", Ruby called out. Everyone was enraptured by her attitude.

"Even if it comes down to our bare will, even if we fail, we KNOW we did our best to help you! So, don't discount us! Don't turn or shy away from your team! Be strong! For me, for all of us! We believe in you! LET'S SHOW THEM THAT WE CAN STAND UP TO THEIR LEVEL, AND THAT WE CAN SAY 'NO'! WHO'S WITH ME!?", thundered Ruby.

"YEAH!", Blake and Yang cried. It was amazing what Ruby could do when she took the reins as team leader.

"Y-ou-u r-really mean i-it?", Weiss asked through her tears. Was it true? Her friends wouldn't abandon her, even in the face of total defeat? But… why? Did they really love her that much?

Ruby smiled gently at Weiss, fire still glinting in her eyes. "Of course! I wouldn't think otherwise.", she said, cupping Weiss' cheek in her hand.

"It'll be hard…", said Weiss. She still had some doubts lingering in her head.

"All we need to do is make sure that everything is presentable, right? Then, they can't take you away.", Ruby said full of confidence.

Weiss nodded at Ruby's sentiment. If the inspector didn't see anything wrong, then Weiss would be left alone for a while.

"I know just the people who can help us…", thought Ruby aloud, scratching her chin. She got up and walked out of the dorm room.

It was time to call in the cavalry.

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><p>Team JNPR was currently suffering a horrible fate. Well, except of Jaune. To his good fortune, he didn't eat the tainted lunch. He didn't care too much for eggplant. His teammates, however, were having their intestines ripped apart from the food poisoning.<p>

"Nora feels bad…", groaned Nora as she clutched at her stomach. She was the first of the team to get sick. Sitting next to her on the bed was Ren. Holding her hand, he was trying to force his way through the pain. All of the meditation in the world couldn't prepare him for this.

"You can do it, Nora. Just hold on.", he tried to reassure. He knew his words didn't have much weight behind them, since he was also in absolute agony. But, damn it, he had to look out for her, in one way or another.

What the hell was taking Pyrrha so long?! She's been in the bathroom for about twenty minutes by now! They needed to use it, too! Hell, Ren would settle for using the bath tub at this rate. Sweat poured down his face. He was being taxed to his limits.

Jaune was doing his best to take care of his teammates. Currently, he was tearing the room apart, hoping to find some medicine to help. He would have checked in the bathroom again, but Pyrrha was still using it, apparently.

Just as he was pulling drawers out of their work desk, a knock came to the door. This really wasn't the time to have visitors. But wait, who was even at the door? Most of the student body was ill!

Opening the door, he was greeted by Ruby. His brow furrowed a little.

"Ruby, this really isn't the time for a social call. Can this wait?", he asked. Jaune looked rather haggard.

Ruby was about to ask how everyone was feeling, when a horrible stench wafted out of the room. She had to pinch her nose to avoid vomiting.

"Can I talk to you real quick? It'll only be a minute.", pleaded Ruby.

Jaune sighed and said, 'Alright, but please be quick.".

Stepping out of the doorway, Jaune closed the door behind him. He prayed that this wouldn't take too long.

"We need your help. Weiss has some family issues, so we need you guys to help fix up our room and stuff. On Friday evening, please.", explained Ruby, abridging her planned explanation. Clearly, Jaune was in no state to hear the whole situation.

"That's all?", Jaune asked, gesturing for Ruby to be quick.

"Yeah. Think you can help out, like, Friday?", she requested.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Say, you wouldn't happen to have anything to help stomach aches, would you?", Jaune asked, turning back to the door.

"Can't say that I do.", Ruby said with a sigh. It was a sad fact that she couldn't help all of her friends. She didn't like to leave him hanging like that.

"Oh well.", Jaune said with defeat. Walking back into the room, he re-entered the breach.

As he closed the door behind him, he heard moans of pain coming from the bathroom.

"Jaune…?", came a pained voice.

"What is it, Pyrrha?", he asked. Jaune knew this couldn't be good if Pyrrha was relying on him, of all people.

"Think you can hold my hand? I don't feel good at all.", was Pyrrha's reply from behind the door. It sounded like her voice had been drained of life.

Jaune sighed. He certainly did a lot in the name of love. Opening the door, an even worse stench than before came out of the bathroom. He saw Pyrrha slumped over on the toilet, her head hanging low.

Pulling his shirt over his nose, Jaune walked into the bathroom. What else could he really do? He sat next to Pyrrha on the edge of the bath tub/shower.

Looking at Pyrrha's face, Jaune could see that she had seen better days. Her face color matched her hair. Sweat dripped off of her face. Her breath was also strained, as it came in shallow gulps.

Pyrrha grabbed his hand in a vice grip. It hurt, but Jaune knew it was nothing like what Pyrrha was going through. Then, her face scrunched up in pain. Her body told her to evacuate her bowels, but Pyrrha had nothing left in her except liquid.

As Pyrrha struggled on the porcelain throne, Jaune couldn't help but feel pity for his partner. He was pretty sure he could smell blood, too. "It's going to be okay.", he tried reassuring her.

Pyrrha threw her head back in pained laughter. What a fate, crapping out your insides next to your boyfriend. It felt like she could die at any moment.

"Thanks for being here...", Pyrrha choked out after she finished laughing. At least seeing Jaune made her feel a little better, even through all this pain.

Jaune gave her a reassuring smile. "Sure thing.", he said back.

Sure, the world can be full of pain and cruelty, but it could be beautiful, too. As long as you had people who were willing to be with you, life was worth living.

* * *

><p>Ruby moved through the hallway with purpose. Although she didn't fully understand why Weiss got so upset when her family was brought up, she knew enough to feel her girlfriend's pain. And nobody, NOBODY messed with the people Ruby loved.<p>

When Ruby arrived to the Theater Club office, she honestly didn't expect Velvet to be in there. But, to her surprise, Velvet answered the door when she knocked.

"Ruby? You aren't sick?", asked Velvet, a little surprised as well.

Velvet thought that nearly everybody ate that eggplant casserole. Luckily for Velvet, she spent her lunch break watching a Let's Play on her favorite visual novel. When she heard the announcement over the speakers that classes were cancelled due to food poisoning, she was glad she didn't eat lunch today.

"Yeah, me and my whole team are fine. Hey, can I ask a favor of you?", Ruby asked, cutting to the chase.

"Sure…?", Velvet said, wondering where Ruby was going with her request.

"To make a long story short, my team is being inspected by Weiss' company. Think you can help us clean up our act a bit? And our room, too?", Ruby asked.

Now, Velvet had no reason to deny Ruby help. Heck, if anything, she owed Ruby her thanks. Because of her, she could act out one of her greatest passions: a music show.

"Sure, I can help, Ruby!", Velvet pledged. She wouldn't let down her friends!

"Great! Be sure to show up at our room Friday evening, alright?", Ruby requested, then walked away.

Velvet looked confused as Ruby disappeared around the corner. That whole visit lasted about three minutes at best. Well, if she could make any difference, Velvet didn't mind. Walking back into her office, Velvet closed the door. She went back to watching that Let's Play. It was killing her to see which girl Shigeru-sempai would choose!

* * *

><p>Ruby kicked her dorm room door open. Her mission was a success. Walking in, she made her way over to where Weiss was sitting. Although she had calmed down in the meantime, an aura of depression hung over her. Her head was hung low, starting at her lap.<p>

Sitting next to her, Ruby draped her arm over Weiss' shoulder. "Don't be that way, Weiss. I've gotten help. You know, a lot of people actually care about you. So please, just believe in us. You aren't alone.", she reassured.

"I really do… but to be honest, I'm afraid. Afraid of what might happen to you.", Weiss admitted

"Hey, we volunteered to help you out, Ice Princess. Helping out a friend is the least we can do.", Yang said, trying to reassure her sister's girlfriend.

"I agree.", also said Blake. Friends always stuck together, no matter what.

Weiss took a a deep breath and looked up.

"Okay then. Let's show them what we can do!", Weiss declared, her hopes rising.

"Yeah!", all of her friends—no, her FAMILY cried in triumph.

Weiss felt ready to take the first step. If she managed to trick the inspector, she knew then she would be able to begin to build her own life away from her family back home. And, hopefully then she could be her own person at Beacon, not the doll her family wanted.

* * *

><p><strong>Psst, did you find that chapter good? I hope you did, since there's more coming your way. All I ask is that you leave me a review in the usual drop spot. Now, this is The Draigg, signing off before we get caught.<strong>


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Platinum Record

**Lend me your ears, dear readers! I bear news from myself, The Draigg! Now, I have bestowed another chapter upon you for your collective enjoyment! Just be forewarned, I do not own RWBY, or any other works spun by fairer bards. Thus, let us bask in this freshly weaved tale!**

* * *

><p>Wednesday passed by with nary a drop of anything interesting. Sure, Ruby asked Velvet to hand out more fliers for the music show to drum up interest, but that was all she really did for the show that week. She was too worried about Weiss. Just seeing her shut down when her family messaged her made Ruby very upset herself.<p>

So, by the time Thursday rolled in, Ruby was frying her mind in worry. They had to pull of their plan perfectly. But, the question kept on lingering in her thoughts: "_How well can we trick Weiss' family?_".

Ruby mused on that question when she picked at her cereal at breakfast. It would be tricky to trick someone who made a career of being an inspector. But, she had her girlfriend's sake on the line. Team RWBY couldn't fail. They WOULDN'T fail.

When Velvet sat at the table with Team RWBY and JNPR, Ruby was pulled out of her current thoughts by seeing her smiling face.

"Guys, I have good news!", Velvet announced.

"Oooohhh! Did the Vale News Network accept my resume?", Nora guessed out of nowhere.

That got her very confused stares for a minute.

"Uhhh… no? But what I can tell you guys is that I talked to my contacts up at the Administration Office, and I can make an announcement over the speakers!", boasted Velvet.

Talking to her contacts was putting what she went through lightly. In actuality, it was more like begging and pleading to Ms. Muffet for a good twenty minutes. Eventually, she got fed up enough to accept whatever terms Velvet made. It was no wonder that Ms. Muffet wanted a new career.

This announcement stirred Ruby's interest. "Awesome!", she complimented. "What should we say, though?", Ruby pondered aloud.

Everyone except for Ren (who didn't care much) and Nora (who was fuming over the fact she still didn't hear back from VNN) thought on what their ad slot should say.

"I know! We should have a song sung over the speakers! That'll give people a taste of what to expect!", Yang suggested. Those who were paying attention thought that it was a pretty good idea.

"That's a good idea, Yang.", Blake complimented.

"Yeah. Weiss should do it, right?", Jaune posed to the others.

"I suppose I could…", Weiss mused. If she was going to sing in front of a live audience, a live promotion would be good practice.

Just as the table was going to let the topic drop so they could continue eating, a thought clicked in Ruby's head.

"Hey, Velvet? What day did you schedule the announcement?", asked Ruby She hoped that her fears would be proven wrong.

"Oh, on Saturday. Why?", replied Velvet.

Ruby and Weiss' hopes plummeted quicker than Schnee Dust Company stocks when the White Fang rose to power. Saturday was the day the Schnee family would send over their inspector to check on Weiss.

"That's the day… my family tries to ruin my life.", Weiss grumbled lowly.

Ruby tried to clarify what Weiss meant. "She means that her family's going to send over their inspector on that day.", she explained.

Oh… now it made sense to the others. That's why she asked for their help the other day. Now, this was just a case of terrible luck. But, it wasn't like luck was on their side in the first place, given all the stuff that happened over the past month or so. Who was even keeping count at this point?

The air hung thick over Team RWBY and JNPR plus Velvet's heads. What should they do?

"Is there anyone else who can sing for us?", Pyrrha tried suggesting.

"Maybe Ruby can do it?", thought Jaune.

Ruby briefly looked surprised, then nervous.

"I-I'm not sure I can…", she said, playing with her fingers nervously. She didn't have enough confidence in her own singing voice. Weiss was WAY better than her at it.

"No. I want Ruby with me.", Weiss protested. Ruby was the one thing she felt could carry her through this rough patch.

"You know… we could just RECORD her singing.", butted in Ren. Of course he was the person who needed to bring logic to these people. It was his role in life, unfortunately.

In complete unison, the work group slapped their foreheads in exasperation. Now they just felt pain stupid for not thinking of it before. Well, at least that was one bullet dodged.

"Of course! Thanks, Ren!", Ruby cheered for her friend.

"Whatever.", Ren replied, rolling his eyes. Being the straight man really bothered him. All he wanted was to eat his toast in peace this morning. Could he just go one week without something weird and/or stupid happening?

Now that this issue was resolved, Task Force Musical went back to eating their breakfast like normal. Nora chatted, Weiss did her nails, and all went well that morning.

* * *

><p>Team RWBY decided to record their advertisement on their lunch break. All were feeling pretty refreshed, since nobody paid too much attention to Professor Port's rambling lecture today. All anybody got out of it was how he used a bag of peaches and some void dust to kill a nest of Nevermore.<p>

Gathered in the dorm room, Blake was fiddling with a microphone next to Weiss. Since it was hooked up to her laptop, Blake could just email Velvet the audio file to use on Saturday. Well, once it was recorded, anyway.

For some reason, Weiss was having a hard time choosing what song to sing. She was really wracking her mind on choosing the right song.

"How about '_Blue_'? No, that won't work. Maybe '_Ask DNA_'? Oh, I don't know!", she mused out loud.

Yang and Blake were starting to get impatient. They only had an hour and a half to spare. If this kept up, they would end up late for class.

"Hate to derail your train of thought, but we only have so much time, ya know?", Yang urged on. Her hand gestured in a circular motion. She really needed to pick something. Anything, really.

"Urrgghhh, what do you think?", Weiss asked to the room in general.

"How about '_Gotta Knock A Little Harder_'?", Ruby suggested. She heard that song in a movie once. It was a pretty good song. That perked up Weiss.

"Good choice, Ruby!", complimented Weiss. She had also seen that movie as well. Secretly, it was one of her favorites. Quickly going through her throat massages, she motioned for Blake to ready the recording program.

"Okay, I'm ready.", Weiss announced. She took a deep breath. She felt it would be a walk in the park.

"Okay, three, two, one.", Blake counted down. She gave a thumbs up signal as she pressed record.

Weiss began to sing:

_"__Happiness is just a word to me /And it might have meant a thing or two  
>If I'd known the difference"<em>

_"Emptiness, a lonely parody /And my life, another smokin' gun  
>A sign of my indifference"<em>

_"Always keepin' safe inside /Where no one ever had a chance  
>To penetrate a break in"<em>

_"Let me tell you some have tried /But I would slam the door so tight  
>That they could never get in"<em>

_"Kept my cool under lock and key /And I never shed a tear  
>Another sign of my condition"<em>

_"Fear of love or bitter vanity /That kept me on the run  
>The main events at my confession"<em>

_"I kept a chain upon my door /That would shake the shame of Cain  
>Into a blind submission"<em>

_"The burning ghost without a name  
>Was calling all the same But I wouldn't listen"_

_"The longer I'd stall /The further I'd crawl  
>The further I'd crawl The harder I'd fall  
>I was crawlin' into the fire"<em>

_"The more that I saw /The further I'd fall  
>The further I'd fall The lower I'd crawl  
>I kept fallin' into the fire Into the fire  
>Into the fire"<em>

_"Suddenly it occurred to me /The reason for the run and hide  
>Had totaled my existence"<em>

_"Everything left on the other side /Could never be much worse that this  
>But could I go the distance?"<em>

_"I faced the door and all my shame /Tearin' off each piece of chain  
>Until they all were broken"<em>

_"But no matter how I tried /The other side was locked so tight  
>That door, it wouldn't open"<em>

_"Gave it all that I got /And started to knock  
>Shouted for someone To open the lock  
>I just gotta get through the door"<em>

_"And the more that I knocked /The hotter I got  
>The hotter I got The harder I'd knock  
>I just gotta break through the door "<em>

_"Gotta knock a little harder /Gotta knock a little harder  
>Gotta knock a little harder Break through the door"_

Weiss gave the signal to stop recording. Stopping the recording, Blake looked over the data on screen. She plugged in Ruby's headphones and listened to the recording. It sounded good, and best of all, useable. Blake gave the thumbs up sign.

"Yay!", Ruby cheered. She offered her fist to Weiss to tap. Not even hesitating, Weiss returned it without even looking. Their bond allowed them to know when to have a sis fist without even missing a beat.

Blake typed up an email to send to Velvet. Sending over the audio file, Blake felt confident in their plan. Velvet would definitely be able to use this for the ad. Now, they had some time to burn.

Team RWBY settled into their designated relaxation roles. Yang browsed the internet for motorcycle parts, Ruby tried teaching Weiss how to play BattleMace 300K from her third edition rulebook, and Blake logged back onto her fan fiction account. Someone named 'Magus Rabbit' left a good, if somewhat critical review on one of her stories. Clearly, she knew something about good writing. Blake felt a kindred spirit between her and this fellow reader.

So, Blake—no, 'ShadowCat333' wrote a message to this 'Magus Rabbit'. She wanted to get to know this person better. Maybe together, they could come up with the. Best. Story. EVER!

Eventually, the hour and a half lunch break ticked by uneventfully. It went by pretty well, all things considered. In fact, they were a little bummed that they had to go to another class. Improvised Weaponry 901 could get pretty boring, surprisingly.

* * *

><p>Let's skip forward to the late evening. To be fair, nobody, not even the students, found the afternoonevening classes interesting OR engaging. It seemed like Beacon just shoved the boring classes towards the end of the day. Well, it was certainly one way to get students ready for bed, if a little too early.

Yang and Blake were in their respective beds. Ruby was snuggled up next to Weiss on her bunk. Neither of them knew why they decided to keep Ruby's bunk. Considering that they just shared a bed nowadays, they didn't need it. Plus, if the inspector was going to check their room, they would need to make it look better. Having a bed hanging from the ceiling wouldn't help their image in the slightest.

Both laid together in silence. They were content in watching the moonlight dance across the far wall. Night always gave people the opportunity to reflect on something, whether it was their day, their life, or whatever else.

Weiss was worried about this weekend. To be fair, the thought was always in the back of her mind. But, at night, she had nothing to distract her raving mind at night. Well, there was something she COULD do with Ruby, but she thought Yang shouldn't watch.

Anyway, the idea of having her family creep back into her life at Beacon scared her. What if they found out that Ruby was her girlfriend? As a lady of the Schnee family, she was expected to bear an heir. They might try to break the two apart. That was a terrifying thought. But, Ruby insisted that she could keep her family back home sated with the help of her new Beacon family. Weiss prayed that her girlfriend was right.

Ruby, on the other hand, felt conflicted on what to expect this weekend. She felt excited that the music show would get some much needed publicity. But, on the other hand, she needed to be strong for Weiss this Saturday. What if the inspector couldn't be tricked? What if their plan failed? What if Weiss was forced to leave?

If.

Life was full of 'if's'.

Ruby couldn't worry too much about this. Fear would bring nothing good. Fear was a mind killer. Fear was the death of everything she worked so hard for. No, Ruby wouldn't be afraid. She couldn't afford to be. Her girlfriend, her Weiss was on the line. So, Ruby resolved to make right by Weiss. She wanted to, she needed to.

As the duo looked into the eyes of their better half, no words needed to be exchanged. They both knew that this Saturday was their worst trial to date. As Weiss brushed away some loose strands of Ruby's hair from her face, she reminded herself of what she was working for.

"I'm… sorry.", Weiss whispered to Ruby.

"For what?", Ruby asked, baffled by the sudden apology.

Weiss sighed. "For dragging you into this.", she clarified.

Cupping Weiss' face Ruby gave her a quick peck on the forehead.

"You silly goose. You don't need to apologize for anything.", Ruby whispered back. She flashed a cocky grin at Weiss. Ruby put on her best reassuring face.

"I know… I just…", Weiss tried to say. But, she couldn't find the right words. Weiss was having a hard time expressing that she loved how Ruby was brave, even in the face of almost certain defeat.

Finally, she settled on the first words that came to mind. "You're amazing.", Weiss said to Ruby.

"And so are you.", Ruby complimented back.

Giving Weiss' sides a light squeeze, Ruby then flipped onto her back. Staring at the underside of her bunk, Ruby couldn't help but think how lucky she was to have Weiss love her. That Schnee girl was amazing in so many ways, she couldn't keep count.

Weiss was passionate, smart, wise, caring, and, most importantly, willing to stay by Ruby's side, no matter what. Ruby was sure that her girlfriend felt the same way about her. That's why they worked so well together. That intrinsic understanding made ofr an unstoppable duo.

As the lovers closed their eyes to sleep, they shared a single thought:

They would survive Saturday, no matter what.

* * *

><p><strong>Hark, this chapter is now over! All of the songs mentioned above were made by the fair bards Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts. The soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop is certainly some of the finest music to grace the lands of Earth. Be sure to post any notices on this tale in the reviews section. This is The Draigg, signing off on this heraldry.<strong>


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Art Of Cleaning

**Hey, I'm glad you stopped by! It's your pal, The Draigg! Now, I've got a nice spread of chapter and plot here, so feel free to dig right in. What? No, I didn't make RWBY. I got this stuff by the dude who made it: Monty Oum. Now, let's kick back and enjoy this chapter, huh?**

* * *

><p>Anxiety filled the air that Friday. It was that evening that Task Force Musical was to help out Weiss with her family problems. Why? Because they were friends, that's why. Or, heck, they felt even closer than that. What other reason could they really need? The whole group felt that they could depend on their partners no matter what.<p>

So, with everyone crowded into Team RWBY's dorm room, they were ready to help their friends. Well, to varying degrees of interest, anyway. Ren, being his reserved, stoic self, watched the group settle into place rather detachedly. On the polar opposite of the spectrum, Velvet decided to throw herself at Weiss and Ruby as soon as she walked in the room. She tried to pull the pair into a group hug. Oh, their love was intense! It was full of all sorts of plot twists and turns! It was just like one of Velvet's visual novels!

Weiss and Ruby were having a hard time breathing in Velvet's grasp. She certainly had deceptively strong arms.

"You're crushing my spine!", Weiss complained.

"Can't… breathe…", gasped out Ruby.

Letting go of the pair, Velvet grabbed each of their hands and looked deeply into their eyes.

"I SWEAR. I won't fail you! This love can't fail!", Velvet declared, as if she was making some grand oath or something.

Ruby and Weiss eyed each other with some disbelief. It was nice that Velvet supported their relationship, but her own experience was a tad iffy. Judging from that PSA from two months ago that nearly violated the laws of nature in it's mediocrity, Velvet probably didn't have a good understanding of sex, let alone relationships.

Velvet, in her own mind, was a self-proclaimed expert on relationships. All of those hours spent playing visual novels and reading romantic manga would be paid off here. In fact, if she didn't make it as a Huntress, Velvet thought she should become a couple's therapist. It would be noble goal, if she wasn't delusional on her actual abilities.

"So, what do you need help with?", Velvet asked as she sat down.

"Well, all we ask of you all is that you help us clean this room. You know, make it presentable.", Weiss explained.

"What? You weren't using specific gifts to turn over the inspector?", Velvet questioned. Were they NOT trying to seduce the inspector?

Very confused muttering came from around her, as Velvet's question sank in.

"…No… I wasn't planning on bribing anyone.", Weiss drawled out.

"But what about the way you dress? Or, what's the harem option?", Velvet ranted on. She was wracking her brain trying to come up with something to help. Her visual novels didn't prepare her for this!

"Did someone say harem?", Blake asked, leaning out of her chair. Now that really grabbed her interest.

Yang pulled her back by the shoulder. "Calm down, kitty.", she said.

Blake looked a little disappointed. Oh well, she could at least fantasize about a harem later.

Ruby finally spoke up. "Velvet, I have no idea what you're talking about.", she admitted.

To be fair, nobody really got what Velvet was talking about. Except for Blake, naturally. There was very little she wasn't willing to try.

"Look, I'm sure that we'll look fine the way we're dressed. All we need to do is make this room look less like…", Weiss paused, looking around, "… a wretched disaster. That's all".

"I think we should start with these beds.", Ren suggested. It was easily some of the sloppiest workmanship he had ever seen.

"Agreed.", said Weiss.

Begrudgingly, Ruby agreed. "Fine. Let's get to it, then.", she ordered. Honestly, she was proud of her rope system that held up her bunk. It took a quite a while to get it just right.

Team RWBY and Team JNPR plus Velvet started to work on the bunks. Velvet thought it was odd that they would use perfectly good books to make bunks. Yet again, it certainly made more sense than using ropes suspended from the ceiling. That seemed like an absurdly risky idea.

"Hey, what are these books, anyway?, Jaune asked, picking one up. Flipping through the pages, he saw some rather graphically drawn pictures. Pictures of stuff that you would have to pay extra for. Whose book was this?

"Ohh! What's that?", Nora asked, looking over Jaune's shoulder. She pointed at one diagram. Both of them tilted their heads at the picture. How did that even fit in there like that?

"What's that book about?", Pyrrha also asked, leaning over to see what they were looking at as well.

"What're you doing? We should get back to—", Ren started to complain, before looking at the book as well. His face went the way of the stop light. First, it was green with sickness, then paled to a sickly yellow, then finally red with embarrassment.

Jaune, Nora, and Pyrrha were mesmerized with what they were seeing. That couldn't be good. Thinking quickly, Ren grabbed the book out of Jaune's hands. Opening the window, he threw the book out.

"Hey!", Jaune cried out in surprise.

"My old dream journal!", Blake cried out as she ran over to the window.

Closing the window, Ren stared at Blake. It was hers? Blake could feel his stare bore through her head. Soon, the idea clicked in the rest of Team JNPR's heads as well. They all gave her odd looks as well.

"Umm… who wants drinks? I want a drink.", Blake tried to change the subject. It clearly wasn't working.

"I'll… just get a few.", she quickly said, dashing out of the room. Team JNPR was convinced that they would need to wash their hands after handling all of those books. Jaune took a risk sniffing his hand. He immediately regretted it.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, just a few feet away, Team RWY plus Velvet were working on untying the top bunk from the ceiling. Yang was under the top bunk, trying to hold it up. Velvet was trying to help her from down below. It helped that she got a good look at Yang's abs from this angle. Ruby and Weiss were working on untying the intricate knot system that Ruby set in place after it fell that one time a few months ago.<p>

Ruby was a little sad that she was taking down her hard work. That bunk was one of the first things she worked on as team leader. But, she also acknowledged it as a sacrifice made for a girlfriend. It made that pain sting less. Plus, since she pretty much shared a bed with Weiss nowadays anyway, she didn't even use it that much anymore.

"Guys, I hate to be a burden and all, but can you hurry up? I can't feel my arms.", Yang asked, straining to keep the bed up. Her arms had lost their circulation, so she was holing up that bed by sheer willpower alone at this point.

"We're trying, okay?", Weiss said impatiently. She wanted this thing done quickly as well.

"Well, could you just cut the ropes or something?", pleaded Yang. She could feel her arms start to give out, and the looks that Velvet was giving to her midriff were starting to concern her.

"Good idea. Velvet, can you hand me knife?", Ruby asked. What better way to deal with her connection to her bunk than get it over with quickly?

Velvet snapped out of her staring when she heard Ruby's request.

"Oh, sure.", she replied. Digging around her pockets, she found the small pocketknife attached to her glasses case. It was a good thing that her skirt had deep pockets. Taking off the knife, Velvet handed it to Ruby. Then, Velvet shifted her attention back to Yang's abs. Damn! She could grate cheese on those things!

Weiss immediately held out her hand as Ruby was about to start cutting. "Give it to me.", she ordered.

"Uh, why?", Ruby asked in response.

"I don't trust you around sharp things, that's why.", justified Weiss.

"Weiss, I'm a certified scythe wielder. What make you think this is different?", Ruby shot back. She was a Huntress (in training)! She could handle something sharp!

"This is different! Just give it already!", cried an aggravated Weiss. Why did her girlfriend need to be difficult?

Giving a huff in frustration, Ruby handed over the pocketknife. It was best not to get into a silly argument over something as trivial as this.

"Thank you.", Weiss said, still a little peeved. Once she cut a supporting rope, the whole bunk crashed down on Yang.

"Bad idea! BAD IDEA!", Yang yelled out from under the bed. She only had a foot of space between the bunks.

Panicking, Weiss, Ruby and Velvet tried to lift the bed while Team JNPR looked on in shock.

"_No! The abs—I mean, my friend!_", Velvet thought.

Luckily, the group managed to lift the bed off of Yang and put on the floor. Man, Yang wasn't kidding when she said it was heavy. However, Weiss and Ruby were concerned that they would have to make another visit to the Medical Ward. Both groaned inwardly at that thought. They both had enough of that place several times over already.

Luckily for them, Yang popped up, perfectly fine. She had used her aura at the last second, lessening the power of the blow. All that was on her was a small bruise on her arm.

"Oh my, Yang! Are you okay?", Velvet asked.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Barely even banged up.", replied Yang.

"I think I should check.", Velvet breathed out quickly, moving her hands towards Yang's abs. Unfortunately, her hands were crushed in Yang's grip.

"I said I'm FINE.", Yang growled through her teeth. She wouldn't stand being used like that. Velvet already caused enough stuff with her. She didn't need to add more to the list.

Yelping, Velvet cried, "Okay, okay! Sorry!". Having her hands let go, she rubbed them, whimpering. Velvet had flown too close to the sun and got burned. This was an oddly appropriate metaphor, considering who Yang was.

"Whew! We got scared for a second there!", Jaune exclaimed. He wiped some nervous sweat from his forehead in an exaggerated motion.

"Ahh, don't SWEAT it, Jaune!", Yang punned. Of course, every Human, Faunus, animal, and creature of Grimm groaned in a three mile radius. Some people didn't know why they did it, but it seemed appropriate to do.

"Really should have left her under the bed…", Ren mumbled to himself.

"Aww come on, it's was a joke! Everyone likes jokes!", Yang complained, trying to defend herself.

"It wasn't really a joke.", Ren said, shaking his head. "Jokes are usually funny.".

Yang pouted and crossed her arms. "You guys are no fun.", she groaned.

"Can we please get back to work?", Weiss intervened. This really wasn't the time for all of this goofy stuff.

"Thank you!", Ren agreed. Turning back to the bunk Team JNPR was working on, he removed the last stack of books.

Seeing that Ren had gone back to work, the rest of his team prepared to lift the bed to put it on the floor. Grabbing the edges of Yang's bunk, Pyrrha lifted one side and Jaune and Nora lifted the other. They hefted it onto the ground.

Now that both beds were on the ground, where they couldn't crush people, the next issue was rearranging the room so that it wouldn't look messy. That was an even bigger task than dealing with the bunks.

For some reason, there was a large pile of drained energy drink cans shoved off into one corner of the room. That, and the undersides of the (former) bottom bunks needed to be cleaned. That worried the work group the most. So, they decided to divide the work in the most reliable and responsible manner possible.

"Rock, paper, scissors!", Ruby called out as she threw out her hand in a fist shape.

Jaune, thinking quickly, threw out scissors. Unfortunately, that meant that his team lost. He hung his head when he realized what he would have to clean.

"Jaune, get to work on under the beds.", Weiss ordered. Nodding in silence, he shuffled over to Blake's bed and started to root around under there.

Team RWY plus Velvet decided to tackle the trash mountain. Yang always said she would clean the corner, but the last time she actually did was roughly a month ago, after the smell of stale energy drinks got into their clothes and the carpeting. It took several cans of air freshener to get rid of that stench.

"You know, I think we can get some money for all these cans.", Yang pointed out as she shoved the cans into a large bag.

"Yeah! How much do you think we can get?", Ruby asked enthusiastically. Maybe they could get some video games!

Weiss quickly did the math in her head. "We would only get twenty lien.", she announced. That deflated Ruby's excitement. Dejected, Ruby kept on putting cans in the bag.

Jaune, in the meantime, found a box underneath Blake's bed. Weird, what was a cardboard box doing there? On the lid, the word 'Beef" was stenciled on. Placing the box on the bed, Team JNPR gathered around to see what was in it. But, someone needed to be brave to open it.

Taking one for the team, Jaune opened the box. He had to wash his hands regardless, after handling that book. It wasn't as if things could get worse.

Inside the box was a stack of magazine, with the foil covers still on them. The looked as if they were in pristine condition. Nora, not understanding the clear risk, picked one at random and started to read it.

"_Wow! That guy sure is muscular! I wonder if I can get like that._", Nora thought as she saw the centerfold of the male model. However, while Nora was focused on his arm muscles, everyone else's vison was drawn lower. How the hell did that guy even walk with that thing?

It was at this point that Blake walked back into the room. She carried a shopping bag full of soda she got from the snack bar.

"I hope you don't mind just having cola…", Blake started to say, before noticing the magazine in their hands, and her special box on the bed.

Team JNPR collectively looked at Blake as soon as she spoke up. Man, she chose a bad time to walk back in.

"…I'm going to get some different flavors.", Blake quickly excused herself. With that, she dashed out if the room again.

Taking the magazine out of Nora's hands, Jaune put it back in the box. As he shoved the box back under the bed, he felt foolish for thinking that nothing weird would happen after the book incident.

Standing back up, Jaune was accidentally hit by the large bag of cans as Yang hefted it over her shoulder as she walked out of the room. He just couldn't catch a break today. When he looked at the garbage corner, it looked pretty nice all cleaned up.

"Wow! Everything looks way better now!", Ruby exclaimed, looking around the room.

"Are you done with the beds?", Weiss asked Jaune.

He lied through his teeth. "Yeah.", he said. He wasn't going to stick his hand down there again. Now, Jaune was a little afraid of what else he might find under the beds.

"Well, that does it!", Ruby declared. "Thanks for the help!".

"Wait! Are you sure you don't want my advice?", Velvet asked. She still needed to prove how good at counseling she was!

"We're quite fine, thank you.", Weiss said as she pushed Velvet out into the hallway. She didn't want to hear her questionable advice now.

Team JNPR filed out after Velvet. All of them made a beeline to their room, hoping to use the bathroom sink first.

Weiss and Ruby looked around the dorm room. It looked presentable now. There's no way the inspector wouldn't appreciate a clean room.

"Ready for tomorrow?", Ruby asked Weiss as she locked the door for the night.

"A Schnee is ALWAYS ready.", Weiss boasted. Then, she lowered her head a little. "Thanks for helping me, Ruby.", she then whispered.

Ruby patted her girlfriend's shoulder. "No problem, Weiss. Now, we should probably go to bed. We need a lot of energy for tomorrow.", said Ruby. She walked over to her dresser and began to change into her pajamas.

Nodding, Weiss began to change into her nightgown. She was definitely ready to face tomorrow. But, she couldn't help as if she and Ruby were forgetting something. Oh well, small inconveniences didn't matter tonight.

* * *

><p>Tossing the sack of cans into the large bin outside the dorms, Yang felt satisfied. If this could help out her little sister and her girlfriend, she could deal with cleaning up her room. Walking back in, she saw Blake browsing the vending machines in the main lobby.<p>

"Watcha, doin', kitty cat?", Yang asked.

Blake hid her surprise well as she answered Yang. "Just looking for different types of drinks.", she replied. That was only a pretense. It was embarrassing for her that her friends discovered not only her old dream journal, but her beefcake stash as well.

"It's a little late for sugar. Come on, let's go back.", Yang said, pulling her partner away from the soda machines.

Walking down the hallway, Yang tried to make some small talk.

"So, what do you think of Weiss and Ruby… you know… dating?", she asked Blake.

"I saw it coming from a mile away.", Blake replied nonchalantly. That struck Yang with some surprise.

"Really?", Yang asked.

"It seemed pretty obvious she was attracted from the get-go. Angry academic types ALWAYS fall for sweet, kind girls. It never fails.", justified Blake. In a way, she was right. That's how it always was in fiction.

"I guess that makes sense… a bit", conceded Yang.

Arriving at their door, Yang turned the knob. The door didn't budge. Were they locked out? Again?

Yang tried ramming the door slightly with her elbow. It didn't budge.

"Did you even try your scroll?", Blake asked, before holding her own up to the I.D. scanner above the doorknob. The door clicked open. Blake gave Yang a 'You see?' type of look.

"Well… I made it open quicker!", Yang said, trying to save her dignity.

Inside, Team White Rose was cuddled next to each other, already asleep. If and and Blake were to guess, they were trying to conserve as much energy as possible. Tiptoeing over to their own beds, Yang and Blake slipped under their covers. They could just undress underneath them.

A few minutes later, silence filled the now darkened room. Team RWBY had fallen asleep. They would need all the rest they could get.

Tomorrow was a date with destiny.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, snap! Did you see that! Another chapter down! Wow! The only thing left to do is leave a review for me to read! I would be really awesome if that happened! Now, if you'll excuse me, this is The Draigg, signing off to get some more snacks and drinks.<strong>


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: A Date With Destiny

**Psst, hey, you. Lookin' for a good time? Well, I'm The Draigg, and I've got a chapter just for you. Just be warned, I don't own RWBY, or anything else I write about. Come on, babe, let's go to that chapter now, eh?**

* * *

><p>Weiss and Ruby stood in the windswept air dock that Saturday morning. The temperature was rather chilly, but the cold was the least of their current worries. Right now, they were dreading the arrival of the Schnee family's inspector. Even with all of their preparation, their nerves still found a way to annoy them in their critical moment.<p>

Watching the airship dock nearby, Weiss stiffened. She needed to make the best impression possible. That way, she could continue to enjoy the freedom she so desperately craved at Beacon Academy.

Ruby, however, was rolling the advice Weiss had given her on the way over in her mind.

"_Like she said: Be formal, but don't make your acting too obvious._", Ruby thought.

The fact that Weiss knew exactly how to act upset Ruby a little. It implied that she knew how to fake happiness and contentment. It was unfair that she grew up not feeling loved. Pushing the sad thought out of her mind, Ruby smoothed over her skirt. She hoped that she looked presentable enough in her freshly cleaned dress.

In the distance, the ramp of the airship lowered to the dock. Ruby couldn't make out the finer details, but a man in a tan suit started to walk over to them.

As the man approached, Ruby got a better look. His suit looked a little shabby, his brown tie slightly loosened. Clearly, he didn't bother to shave this morning, since he was looking rather scruffy. His dark blonde hair was blowing in the wind.

Weiss stuck out her hand at the man, who limply shook it in response.

"Hello, inspector. It's nice to see a representative of my family.", Weiss greeted stiffly. As she forced a smile, she couldn't help but think of the appearance of this man.

_"__Who is this? Where's Mr. Silva?_", Weiss thought. That was the inspector that usually dealt with family affairs. In fact, he was the one who interviewed her tutors back when she was home-schooled.

"Ms. Schnee. It's a pleasure.", the man said. Then, he shifted his gaze at Ruby. "Who's this?", he asked.

Weiss gestured to Ruby, who froze in place. Ruby felt very uncomfortable, all of the sudden.

"This is my partner, Ruby Rose. She is assisting my education here for the next four years.", Weiss explained.

The inspector eyed her over. "She's rather young to going here.", he noted.

"I can assure you, she's very gifted for her age.", Weiss said in Ruby's defense.

"Well, then. Ms. Schnee, Ms. Rose, I'm Victor Brass. But, you can call me Vic, if that helps. Now, I'm sure you were expecting Mr. Silva, right?", he asked after introducing himself.

Weiss nodded. "Yes. May I ask of his disposition?", Weiss asked, exceedingly formal. It weirded Ruby out that her girlfriend sounded like some kind of robot.

"He's currently going through divorce proceedings. It would be his…", Mr. Brass stopped to think, "…third marriage by now.".

Weiss really should have seen that one coming. Even when he was married before, Weiss remembered him having some other woman hanging around him. Needless to say, Weiss had a lot of lady tutors for that reason.

"Oh dear…", Ruby mumbled.

"Yes, indeed.", Mr. Brass waved off.

A tense silence surrounded everyone, as they didn't know what to do next.

"…Would you like a tour?", Weiss asked.

"If you could take me to where you usually stay, that would be great.", Mr. Brass said.

Walking down the stairs of the dock, Weiss held her head up high. To be honest, she didn't know what to think of this new inspector. He might be more forgiving of her lifestyle. But, her luck was up in the air at this point.

Mr. Brass pulled out a cigarette case and took out an expensive cigarette. Lighting it, he inhaled deeply. When he blew out the smoke, it drifted over to Ruby's face. She coughed and waved her hand in front of her face.

"Can you *cough* please not smoke? It's bad for my health.", Ruby asked.

Puffing even more, Mr. Brass looked like he was pondering something. Eventually, he said, "If you were really concerned about your health, you wouldn't be training to be a Huntress.".

Ruby opened he mouth to say something, but then quickly closed it. She couldn't argue with that logic. Tobacco sticks were less risky than a large, animal shaped monster of darkness. At least cigarettes didn't want to rip out your spine on a daily basis. Plus, it wasn't a good idea to argue with someone that decided your girlfriend's fate.

Although Weiss looked calm and ready on the outside, on the inside she was cringing. What happened to being formal and non-intrusive? If the day continued like this, there was no doubt that things would go badly.

* * *

><p>Arriving at the Dormitories, the group was greeted by a well-dressed Yang and Blake. Blake had insisted that both of them dress nice. Yang was pulling at her collar, uncomfortable. Yang was wearing a gold blouse and black slacks, and Blake was wearing black pantsuit. Seeing Ruby and Weiss dressed in their normal clothes annoyed Yang. It was okay for them, but not for her? She was sweating bullets in this monkey suit. Now that Yang thought about it, Blake probably said to dress nice just to get some weird thrills. Having her as a sort-of girlfriend came with a lot of odd baggage.<p>

"Welcome!", Blake announced, trying her best to smile. Unfortunately, since she was more of the stoic type, she didn't really have much practice smiling. It looked like she was barring her teeth, and her neck muscles were straining from the effort.

"Is she okay?", Mr. Brass asked, flicking away his cigarette butt. He looked at Blake with some confusion.

"Oh, don't mind them. They're just Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna. They're on my team.", Weiss explained from behind Mr. Brass. Unknown to him, Weiss was making vigorous hand motions, trying to stop Blake from smiling. Getting the message, Blake stopped 'smiling'.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you.", said Mr. Brass, going through the motions of his job.

"Come on, we'll escort you to our dorm room.", Yang offered. She at least tried to salvage their first impression.

Walking through the hallway to the dorm room, Mr. Brass pulled out a scroll and started to type in something. "Would you say that you're satisfied with your education here?", her asked Weiss.

"I can assure you, my education here is more than appropriate for my career.", Weiss answered, trying to take the diplomatic route.

"I didn't ask if it was good for your career, I asked if it was a good education overall.", Mr. Brass clarified, still typing on his scroll.

Weiss was a little drawn aback. She didn't expect the inspector to be crass to her.

"…Yes, I am learning a lot here.", Weiss answered better this time around.

"Good, good.", Mr. Brass said.

Yang opened the door to their room and held it open for Mr. Brass. Stepping in, he looked around. The room looked as pristine as it could get. The beds were neatly made, the desk was organized, and the books on the shelves were neatly aligned.

"I see that you run a tight ship here, Ms. Schnee.", Mr. Brass complimented.

"Naturally, Mr. Brass. I only settle for perfection.", Weiss boasted.

Mr. Brass started to look at the book shelf and take notes. "Well, nobody is ever perfect, but you're close. I can tell.", he said, examining the book titles.

He grabbed one of the books, and examined the cover. "Can't say I can approve of this literature, though.", he observed. Weiss paled and Blake blushed at the sight of the book. Why didn't Blake try to hide '30 Types Of White' better?

"Well, I guess it's only natural girls your age to have certain… tastes.", Mr. Brass said. Placing the book back, he moved over to the desk. Weiss breathed out in relief. That mistake didn't cause anything too bad.

Ruby typed something on her scroll and showed it to Weiss. It read: "_How do you think we're doing?_". Weiss shrugged in response. It was too early to tell now.

"Now, how do you feel about your teammates?", asked Mr. Brass, taking notes on what was on the desk.

What Weiss wanted to say was: "_These people are WAY better than my family. And if Mom and Dad don't like it, they can go die in a fire._".

What Weiss actually said was, "They are certainly useful. I see no problem in having them around, if only for a few years. I can deal with it.".

Weiss felt that wasn't fair to her new family. She thought it sounded like she was only putting up with them for now. It was if they were a minor inconvenience.

"And Miss… Rose, was it? How do you feel about being partners with Ms. Schnee?", Mr. Brass asked, still taking notes.

"I lo—learned a lot because of her. She certainly is quite the student.", Ruby answered. That was a close one. She almost let her love for Weiss slip. Luckily, the inspector didn't notice.

"I guess that having her around would certainly help with your education as well.", Mr. Brass noted to himself.

Facing them, he joked, "I hope none of you are doing TOO anything bad here in your free time.". A small smirk was on his face. He didn't know how wrong he was when he said that. Because, having sex with your girlfriend was just a friendly way to study, right?

Team RWBY shot quick looks to their respective partners. It was their luck that their neighbors hadn't complained about the smells Yang and Blake made.

"Oh, so I'm wrong, am I?", Mr. Brass said, seeing their glances.

Weiss and Ruby froze. Were they going to be exposed right then and there?

"Bah, what you do with your boyfriends isn't my concern.", Mr. Brass said, waving the thought away with a motion of his hand. Weiss and Ruby slightly relaxed. That was a close call.

"Does everything here meet your standards, Mr. Brass?", Weiss asked.

"Well, I don't see anything TOO wrong here. I'm impressed how clean this place is. But, in my personal opinion, you need better books. I wasn't too impressed when I read 'The Sapphire Ball'. I mean, when Glen chose Theresa? Saw that coming a mile away.", Mr. Brass mused to himself and the others.

Blake groaned when she heard his opinion. She thought that the book was good so far. But, of course she had to have the ending spoiled for her. "I wasn't finished reading that…", Blake mumbled to herself.

"Oops, sorry about that. Well, I guess I saved you some time then.", Mr. Brass said. He then walked out of the door into the hallway. Blake groaned again.

"If you can show me where the library is, that would be great. We can access your grade records there.", he said.

"Of course! Right this way.", Yang offered. She set off in the direction of the library, and the others followed.

* * *

><p>Velvet was practically skipping down the walkway over to the Administration Office. The recording she got from Blake the other day was PERFECT! If people paid attention to the announcement, then their audience would no doubt be increased. Velvet could finally feel the same way Ruby felt. This was awesome! A concert show was way better than just a play!<p>

Whistling a jaunty tune, Velvet walked through the sliding doors of the Administration Building. She was so happy, she felt like she was flying. Velvet walked up to the main secretary, ready to make her announcement.

"Hello! Velvet Scarlatina is here to make the announcement for the music show!", said Velvet, her voice high pitched with cheer.

The secretary barely even noticed Velvet standing there.

"Take a seat and wait to be called.", came her flat, bored voice.

Velvet looked behind her at the other people waiting in the chairs along the wall. Most of the chairs were taken.

"It won't take long, can I just do it real quick?", Velvet tried bargaining.

"I said, take a seat and wait to be called.", the secretary said, her voice sounding a little more annoyed. Seeing that negotiations would get her nowhere, Velvet took the last seat. It was pretty far from the main desk.

Velvet wasn't all that concerned. If anything, her mood had barely diminished. She was practically bunny hopping in her seat. She was so excited!

Velvet really hoped that Weiss would like the announcement when she got around to making it.

* * *

><p><strong>Man, that chapter was good, babe. I hope it was as good to you as it was for me. Anyway, just be sure to leave the reviews on the nightstand on your way out. This is The Draigg signing off to count my payment.<strong>


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Gotta Knock A Little Harder

**Reader, it' your doctor, The Draigg. Now, I've called you to tell you something very important: you have to keep on reading this story. Every minute that you don't your lifespan will decrease. Now, take a few doses of RWBY, made by Monty Oum, and some other supplements that I didn't make. Call me back when you see some improvements. I'm sure your insurance will cover the treatments.**

* * *

><p>Mr. Brass certainly wasn't what Team RWBY expected as an inspector for the Schnee family. Weiss expect the calculating master that was Mr. Silva. Team RBY was expecting someone who would remind them of Penny, but not in a good way. But, as they walked on the way over to the library, they realized that Mr. Brass was pretty much a lower level employee who was a replacement for his boss.<p>

In the meantime, Mr. Brass kept on asking questions and taking notes on his scroll.

"If given the opportunity, could you see your teammates working for the Schnee Dust Company and affiliated industries?", Mr. Brass asked. The question sounded incredibly stilted, as if he was forced to ask it (which he was).

"I do not believe so. Each of my teammates are rather firm on their career choices.", Weiss answered back.

Blake, knowing about the oppression that the company forced on her race, would never work for the Schnee Dust Company. Judging on how Yang kept on adjusting her blouse, she would never fit into an office space. That, and she would probably destroy a lot of office equipment on her first day. Ruby was the romantic type, so she would never imagine herself working in an office, either. She loved the outdoors too much to fall into the trap of a desk job.

Mr. Brass bit his cheek as he typed in Weiss' answer. His bosses wouldn't be glad to hear that. The Schnee Dust Company (and it's affiliates) was always on the hunt for fresh, young talent. Nowadays, the popular image of them was a bunch of crusty old men sitting on thrones of solid gold. So, it was more of a PR thing than actual talent they were hiring for. But, some of the skills that students learned at Beacon would certainly be a bonus, too.

So, if they didn't improve their image soon, then the company would have to go with the 'open a theme-park' option. That would be absurdly expensive. But, that was the only option the board of directors had left.

"And… we're here!", Yang announced as they neared the library doors.

The inspection group walked through the large, ornate doors of the library. Beacon had spent a lot of money on those doors, so they damn well knew where they wanted to put them. Of course, they weren't convenient in any way, shape, or form. They were extremely heavy, since they were made out of rare, guided wood. It was no wonder that students used the side entrances when they needed to study there.

It was a good thing that Yang had enough strength to open the doors. It would have been a little rougher for anyone else.

Walking between the rows and rows of leather bound books, Mr. Brass couldn't help but admire them somewhat.

"I can see why this academy gets so much acclaim. You certainly have some quality knowledge here.", he said to nobody in particular.

Blake smiled a little at his comment. It was nice to have someone around who really appreciated a good book. This inspector wasn't all too bad, after all.

Making his way over to the main desk, Mr. Brass leaned on the librarian's desk. He flashed his Schnee Dust Company employee badge and said:

"Hello, I'm here on behalf of the Schnee family. May I get a printout of Weiss Schnee's grade records, please?". He flashed a toothy grin at the end of his sentence.

With a small nod, the librarian printed out a sheet of Weiss' grades and handed it to Mr. Brass. Taking it, Mr. Brass smiled again and walked over to Team RWBY, who was waiting nearby.

"Come, let's take a seat.", Mr. Brass said to the group, moving his hand over to nearby study table.

Team RWBY sat with him, a little anxious to hear what he had to say. Scanning over the grades, Mr. Brass analyzed what they meant.

Eventually, after a minute or so of silence, Mr. Brass finally spoke up.

"Well, what I CAN say is that the grades for your classes are perfectly fine. Exceptional, in fact. However, what I'm a little concerned about is this team grade here. I mean, it's a passing grade, but I know you can do better.", was Mr. Brass' conclusion.

Weiss resisted the urge to smack her forehead. Of course it was her team grade. Those missing credits have been haunting her for the past month or so. And, what else would it be? It kick started this whole 'adventure' so far.

It was at this point that Ruby decided to inject her own opinion.

"Mr. Brass, sir, I feel that as team leader, it's my fault that Weiss' team grade has been slipping.", Ruby said in Weiss' defense. It was an unnecessary gesture, but Weiss appreciated it all the same.

"Well, I wouldn't put the blame just on you, Ms. Rose. It's a collective team effort to get up that grade.", Mr. Brass mentioned.

"Is there anything we can do?", Weiss asked. It was ironic that she asked that, considering all the work she went through for the musical. That was a slim shot, even if it could actually get them credits.

Mr. Brass looked back at the sheet, seeing the classes on the list. "Well, I don't see any major class here that could give a group grade. But, if you do some extra credit work through a department, that could get you some credits.", he explained.

Team RWBY already knew that well enough. Maybe next time, they should go to a teacher or department head instead. Apparently, club presidents couldn't promise some team credits.

"Is there any staff you know that you can work for? As a team, I mean.", Mr. Brass asked the group.

"Well, I'm in contact with the landscaping and grounds keeping department.", Weiss replied.

"Great. If you do something for him, maybe then you could snag a team credit or two.", Mr. Brass said.

Weiss didn't know why she didn't think of that before. Maybe she was just too busy helping Ruby's dream to focus on her grades.

"I-Is there anything else?", Ruby asked. As team leader, she only wanted the best for her team. Well, the fact that Weiss was her girlfriend certainly swayed her disposition as well.

"Looking at this sheet, I don't see anything else.", Mr. Brass said.

"What if we… put on some kind of show? Like… starting now?", Ruby asked, hoping to kill two Rocs with one… rock.

Mr. Brass raised an eyebrow at Ruby's suggestion.

"I don't see in any way that could help. Clubs offer credits for members only. Plus, I'm not sure Ms. Schnee's parents would appreciate their daughter out in public like that without their permission.", Mr. Brass explained, leaning forward onto the table.

Ruby looked disappointed at Mr. Brass' statement. Weiss lightly kicked her leg under the table. She had gotten too close to revealing what Weiss was doing here. She nearly blew the whole charade!

"Thanks, for your opinion, Mr. Brass.", Weiss said, keeping up her mask of formality.

"Now, is there anything else you'd like to ask me while we're here?", offered Mr. Brass.

Weiss froze in thought. Was there anything else at all? She didn't really want to ask about her family. If she wanted to her them pressure her to be better, she would have called them by now. But, maybe this was a good time hear their collective opinion while not dying inside a little more.

"Mr. Brass… What… What do my parents think about me attending Beacon?", Weiss asked, trying not to sound too shaky.

Mr. Brass scratched his stubbly chin in thought.

"Well… I know, from what I heard is that your parents aren't exactly glad about you not directly training to be the heir to the company.", he recalled.

Weiss slumped in her chair a little. When she decided to leave for Beacon Academy, her parents tried their hardest to get her to stay. They even tried using her sister, Winter, to convince her to stay. Why did Weiss think that her parents would change their mind in the meantime?

Mr. Brass saw Weiss, eyes dim a little. He figured that being the heiress to a multi-million lien company could be taxing on someone, let alone a teenager. So, he decided to give his opinion.

"But, as for ME, I don't see any problem with this academy. Heck, when my daughter grows up, I would want her to go here. She would learn a lot more than what I could teach her. I got to tell you, if you stay on this path, I feel that you wouldn't regret it.", he said. He hoped that his opinion would help the girl a little.

Weiss picked up a little at Mr. Brass' encouraging words. Finally, there was someone with a heart in her family's company. At least this guy understood what this school had to offer. It could offer a chance at a new life, a fresh start on anything and everything.

"Thank you Mr. Brass…", Weiss said, smiling. It was a genuine smile, not some false attempt at happiness like it usually was.

"No problem, Ms. Schnee.", Mr. Brass said, flashing his toothy grin.

* * *

><p>Velvet was ready to play that recording by now. The waiting line had thinned by now, so the ad for the music show was nearly at hand. There was nobody else waiting in the chairs, so all she needed was to be called up by the secretary at the front desk.<p>

"Scarlatina. Velvet Scarlatina, please come up.", the secretary droned out.

Speak of the devil!

Velvet hopped out of her chair. It was the one of the few times her rabbit Faunus heritage showed itself (well, other than her ears).

Strutting over to the desk, Velvet started to talk to the secretary.

"Excuse me, but how do I make an announcement? It's an ad for my music show.", Velvet asked.

The secretary clearly looked like she didn't want to deal with such a small matter. "Just use the microphone here. Click this button once to project, click it again to stop", she instructed. Then, the secretary turned back to her computer, continuing her work.

Velvet didn't hear the disinterest in the secretary's voice. Instead, she grabbed the microphone to pull it towards herself.

Taking a deep breath, Velvet settled her anxiety and cheer. This was the big moment! She switched on the microphone, ready to announce the existence of the music show all over Beacon Academy.

* * *

><p>Because of all the time it took to walk from place to place, it was nearly the afternoon when Team RWBY escorted Mr. Brass back to the air dock. They were currently waiting for the next shuttle to arrive to take Mr. Brass to Vale proper.<p>

"Thank you for gracing us with your visit.", Weiss thanked, still sounding overly formal.

"Please, the pleasure's all mine. Just be sure to give my office a call if you need any more advice, okay?", Mr. Brass said. He took a card out of his tan business jacket and handed it to Weiss. Weiss took it without hesitation. At least she now knew that someone in the company who was a friend.

"Yes, thanks fo—", Ruby's thanks was cut off when the speakers on the dock crackled to life.

"Attention, student body and staff!", Velvet's voice came over the speakers. Team RWBY collectively paled, and Mr. Brass looked at the speakers, curious at the announcement.

"As you may be aware, a music show is going to be held next Saturday! We would like to give you a special taste of what to expect!", continued Velvet's advertisement.

Then, to Mr. Brass' confusion and Team RWBY's horror, Weiss' singing wafted out if the speakers.

_"__Happiness is just a word to me /And it might have meant a thing or two  
>If I'd known the difference"<em>

_"Emptiness, a lonely parody /And my life, another smokin' gun  
>A sign of my indifference"<em>

_"Always keepin' safe inside /Where no one ever had a chance  
>To penetrate a break in"<em>

_"Let me tell you some have tried /But I would slam the door so tight  
>That they could never get in" <em>

Mr. Brass looked over at the petrified Weiss. She was a part of a music show? Just like that Rose girl suggested they do?

_"Kept my cool under lock and key /And I never shed a tear  
>Another sign of my condition"<em>

_"Fear of love or bitter vanity /That kept me on the run  
>The main events at my confession"<em>

_"I kept a chain upon my door /That would shake the shame of Cain  
>Into a blind submission"<em>

_"The burning ghost without a name  
>Was calling all the same But I wouldn't listen"_

_"The longer I'd stall /The further I'd crawl  
>The further I'd crawl The harder I'd fall  
>I was crawlin' into the fire"<em>

_"The more that I saw /The further I'd fall  
>The further I'd fall The lower I'd crawl  
>I kept fallin' into the fire Into the fire  
>Into the fire"<em>

_"Suddenly it occurred to me /The reason for the run and hide  
>Had totaled my existence"<em>

_"Everything left on the other side /Could never be much worse that this  
>But could I go the distance?"<em>

_"I faced the door and all my shame /Tearin' off each piece of chain  
>Until they all were broken"<em>

_"But no matter how I tried /The other side was locked so tight  
>That door, it wouldn't open"<em>

_"Gave it all that I got /And started to knock  
>Shouted for someone To open the lock  
>I just gotta get through the door"<em>

_"And the more that I knocked /The hotter I got  
>The hotter I got The harder I'd knock  
>I just gotta break through the door "<em>

_"Gotta knock a little harder /Gotta knock a little harder  
>Gotta knock a little harder Break through the door"_

When the song finished, Velvet's voice came back over the speaker system. The group waiting at the air dock focused on what the girl on the other end was saying.

"And that's not all! But, you have to see the show to get the rest! Remember, a night to remember is next Saturday evening! Be there, or be square!", closed out Velvet.

Mr. Brass turned his attention back to Team RWBY. Weiss' eyes were as big as tea saucers and her mouth was agape. Blake was covering her mouth, Yang was face palming, and Ruby's hands were completely covering her face. They were completely frozen in place.

"So… a music show, huh?", Mr. Brass asked rhetorically. Weiss' mouth was having a hard time forming words.

Everything was going so well, but then Velvet just HAD to mess it all up. Of course that had to happen. The universe never gave Team RWBY a break at all. Now, their secrets might be all revealed. They would take away the show, take away her friends, take away Ruby… Weiss didn't dare think any more of it.

Eventually, Weiss' mouth managed to form words.

"M-m-mister B-brass… I can as-sure you-u, I d-didn't know that would h-happen.", Weiss managed to squeak out. Her strength and confidence were starting to fail her. Weiss tried to suppress her hyperventilation. She couldn't break down here, not in front of Mr. Brass.

"No wonder you mentioned it…", Mr. Brass mumbled, looking at Ruby. Ruby didn't meet his gaze, since her face was still covered by her hands.

"P-please… don't tell my p-parents!", Weiss cried out between gasps for air. Panic filled her chest. She was ready to do anything if it meant keeping her secrets.

Mr. Brass absentmindedly kicked at a pebble as he thought. Given the way the Schnee girl was reacting, this was something that meant a lot to her. He couldn't help but pity her a little. It seemed to him that she had little control over her life, if she was acting this badly at the thought of her singing getting out.

However, it was his job to report what happened to Ms. Schnee at Beacon Academy. That included academics and her standard of living. Then, Mr. Brass thought of a way to get around that issue. He wasn't a monster. He could let one small thing slip by.

"Well, it IS my job to report on what you do here…", Mr. Brass started to explain. Weiss looked like she was about to get on her knees. Ruby, now looking around, tried to keep Weiss standing. She needed to protect her dignity.

"But… a music show isn't really an academic field. And it doesn't really affect the way you live. So… I didn't hear anything important.", concluded Mr. Brass.

That got him some shocked looks from Team RWBY. Ruby then nearly knocked over Mr. Brass as she grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Whoa, whoa, there!", Mr. Brass exclaimed. He tried to push Ruby off of him. Ruby got the idea and let go.

"Wow! Thanks! Thanks a lot!", Ruby exclaimed. It was nearly unbelievable! He was willing to let Weiss do her own thing!

"No problem, Ms. Rose.", he replied to Ruby's thanks.

"But… why?", Weiss asked in disbelief.

"Heh. Well… call it a case of good will.", Mr. Brass said as he turned to look over the end of the dock.

"You know, I get why you want to stay here. It's a nice school. Real nice. Who am I to deny you a good chance at going here?", Mr. Brass explained, looking at the natural scenery past the docks.

"Maybe someday my little girl can do the same thing.", he concluded, looking back at Team RWBY.

Before the team could say anything, they saw an airship approaching in the distance. Mr. Brass turned around and saw it as well.

"Well, that's my ride. Ms. Schnee, Ms. Rose, Ms. Xiao Long, Ms. Belladonna.", he said as he took each of their hands and shook them.

"I think it's time to say goodbye. And, uh, Ms. Schnee? Don't forget to call.", he said, winking at Team RWBY.

"Thanks", Ruby cheered.

"Thank you.", Weiss thanked, still a little shocked.

"Groovy, man!", Yang exclaimed.

"We appreciate everything!", Blake called out.

The airship pulled up and extended it's retractable walkway. Walking on board, Mr. Brass gave a small salute before he disappeared further into the ship. Team RWBY all waved back at him.

Mr. Victor Brass was a nice man. It was kind of sad to see him go, even if he was only here for the day. Team RWBY thought for sure that he felt the same way about them as well. After all, he wanted his daughter to go to Beacon as well.

As the airship pulled away from the dock, Team RWBY watched it leave. Overall, this experience turned out well, all things considered. It was that empathy Mr. Brass felt that allowed Weiss to continue her own life here. It was freeing, in a way.

The ship disappeared over the horizon. Team RWBY turned to each other, wondering what to do next.

"So… that was a thing.", Yang said. That certainly summed up what happened today. "Think I can take off these clothes now?", she then asked, tugging at the collar of her blouse again.

"Keep them on.", Blake immediately ordered, smoothing over her sports coat. She was going to milk the hell out of the way they dressed, damn it!

Yang sighed at Blake's order. She was probably trying out some new weird office worker fetish now. It was tough to be Blake's girlfriend when most of the time she wanted to try out something she read in a poorly written erotica book. They really should go on dates more often.

An uncomfortable silence fell over Team RWBY again. However, this time it was because they didn't know how to transition from that odd conversation.

"Well… we should probably tell the others how the visit went.", Ruby suggested. Knowing their friends, they were just as concerned as Team RWBY.

"We should really talk to Velvet about her timing.", Blake then interjected.

"Definitely.:, Yang said. If it wasn't for the fact that Mr. Brass showed Weiss kindness, she would be as screwed as what Blake did to Yang roughly every weekend.

"Y-you guys?", Weiss said a little choked up. Tears clung to the corners of her eyes.

"T-thank you. Thank you for helping me, and being there for me, and… just… thank you.", she choked out quickly. Weiss' heart thumped faster as Ruby walked right up to her.

Weiss' tears started to flow a little as Ruby pulled her into a warm hug. Rubbing Weiss' hair, Ruby said, "I wouldn't dream of not helping you.".

"Yeah, it's the least I can do for you two lovebirds.", Yang said, accepting Weiss' thanks.

"As long as you two are happy, I'm always glad to be of help.", Blake also said, feeling glad that the couple could stay together.

Weiss felt emotions she had rarely ever felt. Just to be loved by so many people at the same time was absolutely engaging. The burning sensation in her chest poured out to her limbs.

"I-I love you all.", Weiss whispered over Ruby's shoulder. There were no other words to describe what she felt. Those were only words that she needed. Sometimes, a simple truth like that could carry so much more than what words could convey.

"Should we get going?", Yang asked, looking at the path that lead back to the dormitories. They couldn't stay out here all day.

"Y-yes, let's.", Weiss agreed, getting out of Ruby's hug. She slipped her hand into Ruby's and interlocked their fingers. Ruby blushed a little, but didn't protest. It was nice to show their love in public. It certainly calmed the both of them down.

So, with Yang leading the charge, Team RWBY started to walk back to the dorms. Blake kept up pace with Yang, while Weiss and Ruby hung towards the back, still holding hands.

As they strolled down the walkway, Weiss couldn't help but think, "_So this is what it's like to have your own life? Not bad, not bad at all._".

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><p><strong>Hey, it's your doctor, The Draigg again. I hope you're doing well. That song 'Gotta Knock A Little Harder" was made by Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts. It should improve your condition. Just be sure to add some reviews to help your recovery along. This is The Draigg, signing off on this call.<strong>


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: An Evening At The Club

**Friends, family, readers! It's The Draigg here again, with another chapter to dazzle your eyes with! Now, before you decided to scan these words with your optical spheres, you should know that I don't own RWBY, or any other thing I manage here in this story. All I own is a laptop and an excessive amount of DVDs. With that being said, let's start this thing!**

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><p>"You're sure you don't want to see Velvet?", Ruby asked to Yang and Blake, as she dropped them off at Team RWBY's dorm room. Weiss and Ruby were standing next to the door, ready to head over to the Theater Club office. It was a pretty good bet that Velvet would be there. She spent so much of her day in there, it was getting kind of sad.<p>

"Nah, I don't have much of a reason to see her today.", Yang said, flopping down on her bed.

"No thanks.", Blake replied. "I want to catch up on some reading.". Even if Mr. Brass spoiled the book she was currently reading in her spare time, she wouldn't just drop it. She WOULD finish it… eventually.

"Fine, then. We'll give her your regards.", Weiss said to the pair. It didn't really matter if they came with them or not. In fact, she was slightly relieved that they wouldn't. She wanted to talk to Ruby privately on the way over to the office, anyway.

Closing the door behind them, Ruby and Weiss started down the hallway. They remained silent even a while after they left their home at Beacon.

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><p>Walking down the pathway, Weiss wanted to express her feelings that she bottled up today. Like a steam pipe, sometimes you needed to vent the built up pressure. Except the steam pressure is emotion. And the pipe is a person. It's around here where the metaphor starts to fall apart a little. Regardless of that, Weiss felt that she needed to say something, anything to Ruby. Girlfriends always made for good confidants.<p>

"So… Thanks for being with me. It really helped.", Weiss said to Ruby in a low voice. Even if it was starting to get a little late, she still feared that other students would be around to hear their conversation.

Ruby smiled at Weiss' sentiment. "Oh, it's no big deal.", Ruby replied politely.

Weiss stopped in her tracks. Ruby paused wondering why she stopped. She saw Weiss' face lower a little.

"It really meant a lot…", Weiss mumbled. Ruby put her arm around Weiss and got her to start walking again.

"Weiss… I…", Ruby said, trying to find some words to make Weiss feel a little better.

Finding some comforting words, Ruby then continued. "Just know I will ALWAYS be able to do anything for you.".

Weiss gave a small smile at Ruby's words. She just knew what to say to make her feel better. Sure, today ended up being for the better, but that didn't mean it wasn't a rough day to begin with.

Her spirits lifted, Weiss decided to change the subject. "So, what did you think of the announcement?", she asked, trying to make small talk.

"I thought you sounded great in it. Sure, it could have been timed better, but that wasn't our fault.", Ruby said, offering her opinion.

"I bet Velvet had a blast doing it. I guess she really does have a flair for the THEATRICAL. Eh?", Weiss said, trying to make pun. Although it wasn't as bad as Yang's normal puns and delivery, it still wasn't that good, either.

Ruby raised her eyebrow at her girlfriend's attempt at humor. She tried to laugh, but Weiss' delivery was WAY off. An awkward silence formed between the two.

"It was a joke.", Weiss explained, as if Ruby didn't get it.

"I know. Just… try something else, okay?", Ruby said, trying not to sound too mean.

Weiss huffed in annoyance and her face grew a little red with annoyance. She could be funny, damn it!

Taking a deep breath, Weiss tried to tell another joke. "What's red and smells like blue paint?", said Weiss.

Ruby tried not to look at Weiss incredulously. The answer was not only simple, but it was downright insulting how easy it was. But, Ruby decided for Weiss' ego, she needed to play along. Plus, Weiss was cute when she was being dorky.

"Umm… a freshly painted house?", was her fake guess.

"Pfft! No, you dolt! Red paint!", Weiss said, laughing. She thought it was a real knee-slapper. In fact, Weiss was doing that right now.

Ruby forced some laughter out. "Ah! Hahahah!", was her incredibly stilted sounding chortling.

Well, if it made Weiss happy, she might as well play along. By now, Weiss was laughing so much she snorted. Now THAT made Ruby genuinely chuckle. It was refreshing to see her girlfriend act like a dork occasionally.

Her laughing slowing down, Weiss wiped away a stray tear from the corner of her eye.

"See? I CAN be funny!", boasted Weiss. Maybe she should go to standup night that the Student Council hosted monthly. Now that would be fun to do.

Ruby patted Weiss on the shoulder. "Of course you are, sweetie.", she said. She tried not to sound too patronizing. It was a good thing that Weiss didn't notice, otherwise she would have flipped her lid.

As if the time just flew by, Team White Rose found that the building where the Theater Club was located was looming nearer in the distance.

"Come on, race you there!", Ruby cried, activating her semblance. As rose petals drifted around her, Weiss gaped in the direction of Ruby.

"Hey, wait! I wasn't ready!", Weiss futilely yelled at Ruby. It was too late. Ruby was already far ahead of her.

Activating a glyph, Weiss launched herself into the air, Flying was always better than running! Maybe bird Faunus were better than Humans in that regard, she absentmindedly thought. But, wings had nothing on her glyphs.

Ruby dashed down the walkway, leaving massive clouds of dust and rose petals in her wake. "_Maybe I can get a reward for winning!_", Ruby thought. A deep kiss would be nice enough. Taking it further than that would make the prize even better. Ruby drooled a little at the thought.

The doors were in sight now. Ruby was going to win! Increasing her speed, Ruby prepared to launch herself through the doors. The threshold would make for a good finish line. But, before she could get inside the building, something landed on top of Ruby.

Weiss didn't plan on landing on Ruby. In fact, she aimed her decent towards the ground in front of the doors. But, she didn't expect Ruby to pick up her speed at the last minute. On the plus side, Ruby made for as good a cushion as an anti-gravity glyph. On the downside, Weiss was worried that she crushed her girlfriend.

"Oh gods! Are you okay Ruby?!", Weiss cried as she climbed off of her.

"No Mommy, I don't wanna pet parrot.", Ruby mumbled in her dazed state.

Weiss was genuinely confused at Ruby's response. "Huh?", sounded Weiss.

Ruby shook her head vigorously. Luckily, her aura took the brunt of the hit. She was just a little shocked from the blow, that was all. And no, Weiss really wasn't her mom. That would be really weird and gross. Like some kind of twist on the Electra Complex, or whatever it was called.

"Oww…", Ruby groaned. Looking around, she then said, "So, who do you think won that?".

Man, Ruby bounced back pretty quickly. "I'd say it was a tie.", was Weiss' decree.

"I think you're right.", Ruby stated, trying to pick herself up. Weiss grabbed her hand and hoisted Ruby up.

"Sorry about that…", Weiss apologized, dusting off Ruby's dress.

"Don't worry about it. People could die in weirder ways.", Ruby said. Weiss and Ruby knew that fact pretty well. It wasn't exactly a secret that Blake thought that being smothered by Yang's breasts was a good death. To be fair, a large portion of the male student body probably thought the same thing.

Ruby turned to face the door. "Shall we?", Ruby asked, gesturing to the doors.

"Of course.", Weiss replied. Ruby zipped past her and held the door open.

"M'lady.", Ruby complimented as she bowed.

"Why, thank you, brave knight.", Weiss said, playing along with Ruby. Being dorky once in a while wasn't a bad thing.

Together, the duo entered the building. Hopefully, Velvet was in there. That was a pretty safe bet, though.

* * *

><p>Velvet was spending her time typing in her office. However, it wasn't club related. Instead, it was a message from her new friend, 'ShadowCat333', who she met on a fan fiction website. She was typing a message under the name 'Magus Rabbit'. If one was to look over Velvet's shoulder to read what she was typing (but that would be rude to do), her scroll would read:<p>

_I definitely approve of the whole 'magic clit' thing. You could get a lot of mileage out of it. A futa scene because of it would only make the chapter better. But, I still think you should include my character in the story. How could a powerful sorceress be a bad thing?_

Pushing the send button, Velvet felt confident that the author would accept her ideas. It was nice to have someone share an interest in writing, even if it was kind of smutty. Clicking on the 'ShadowCat33' icon, she looked at the list of her stories. Opening one, she looked over to the door to see if it was fully closed. It was absolutely embarrassing when she got caught that one time.

Standing up, Velvet walked over to an edge of her desk. Even though it was well worn by now, it still served it's purpose. Velvet then placed her scroll face up, and leaned over corner of the desk. Lifting up her skirt, Velvet licked her lips and focused on the story. She was going to enjoy the hell out of her private time.

Or, she would have, if there wasn't a sudden knocking at the office door. That sure startled Velvet.

"Just a minute!", she called out, dropping her skirt and closing the chapter tab. Of course she couldn't enjoy herself today.

Velvet opened the door a crack. She saw Weiss and Ruby standing there, waiting. Well, she could put aside her own needs for her friends. Sighing, Velvet opened the door.

"Weiss, Ruby! What can I do for you?", Velvet asked. If the pair was only here for a little bit, then she could masturbate in private all the quicker. No, not quicker in that way.

"Well, can we talk about that ad today?", Ruby asked, bouncing on her heels.

"Yeah, sure. Come on in.", Velvet offered as she stood aside. Weiss and Ruby walked into the Theater Club office.

Ruby sat on the corner of the desk Velvet wanted to use later, and Weiss sat in the chair in front of the desk. Velvet settled into her usual seat, behind the desk.

"What about it?', asked Velvet.

Weiss really wanted to discuss her timing, but then she figured that it wasn't really her fault. She couldn't have known that the inspector would be in the area to hear it. Instead, Weiss went to her second option.

"Why next Saturday? We didn't agree on that time.", Weiss questioned. It was true that they weren't exactly planning on having the show next Saturday. Now, they had to work extra hard to get ready by next weekend.

"Well…", Velvet started, folding her hands, "We never exactly talked about a possible date to have the show. And, I had to give the listeners SOMETHING. So, I made a split second decision.". Velvet paused, hoping that her explanation was enough.

Judging by Weiss' and Ruby's expressions, it wasn't. Velvet decided to elaborate further.

"Look, I believe in you guys. We can definitely get ready by that time. I mean, we already have the stage and we only need one set of costumes. All we need to do is practice.", she tried justifying.

Ruby and Weiss looked at each other. Velvet did bring up some good points. They never did settle on a date, and they already had everything they needed. They had no real excuse not to have the show next weekend. So, they were ready, in theory.

"I suppose you're right.", Ruby said, unconsciously tracing her finger along the desk. "But… I wish we could have talked about this.".

"Sorry, but we didn't have much of a choice.", lamented Velvet.

Ruby knew that she had nobody to blame but herself for not deciding the date. She just got too wrapped up in Weiss' problems to notice. But, she didn't regret it. Weiss would always have first priority to her.

"Is that all?", Velvet asked. She was shifting around a little in her desk chair. That chapter was just waiting for her!

"Well… How did you feel about it?", Ruby then asked, trying to drag out the meeting. It felt silly to her to just show up for a single question.

"I'm proud that we got the word out. I mean, how cool is this? It's awesome that we're another step closer now!", Velvet gushed over the show. It was true, being a part of the show was damn exciting.

"Cool, cool…so… yeah.", Ruby said, not knowing what to do now. She didn't expect talking to a friend to be so awkward. And why did Velvet keep on moving in her chair? It was weird of her to do randomly.

Weiss decided to alleviate the awkward tension. "Thanks for your time, Velvet. Be sure to keep up the good work.", she said, standing up. She then gestured Ruby to follow her out the door.

"We'll talk later?", Ruby asked before leaving.

"Of course! I like talking to you.", Velvet said with a smile. Ruby smiled back as she and Weiss left the office space.

Velvet stood up as soon as he heard the door click shut. Locking it, she then opened the chapter again on her scroll. She then walked over to the edge of her desk she usually used. It was still warm from when Ruby sat on it. Velvet liked the feeling of the heat.

Her private time actually improved because of her friend's rear warmth. Now that was a rare sentence.

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><p>Yang pretended to type something on Blake's laptop. Blake leaned over, hovering over Yang. She was clearly trying to show off her cleavage.<p>

"Oh, secretary, what are you doing?", Blake asked, doing her best to sound like she had authority.

"I'm embezzling lien—I mean, just writing some emails.", Yang faked being caught doing something wrong.

Yang didn't know how she got pulled into this. Blake had somehow convinced her not only to not change out of her business clothes, but to engage in some office role-play as well. But, she didn't mind too much at all. It wasn't the weirdest thing they'd done before.

"Stealing money?!", Blake cried, overacting. "Well, I guess I have to fire you for breaking your company contract.".

"Please, I'll do anything to keep my job!", Yang pleaded. She got down on her knees and shifted her expression to look desperate.

Blake got a mischievous grin on her face. "Anything, you said?", she purred out. She leaned over and ripped open Yang's blouse. Inwardly, Yang was annoyed. This shirt wasn't cheap, damn it! Now she would have to get a new one. How many times would her clothes be destroyed at the hands of her team?

Blake then lifted up her skirt with one hand. "You know what to do.", she ordered.

"Y-yes, Blake", Yang stuttered. Blake grabbed her by the chin and tilted up her head with her free hand.

"That's BOSS to you.", Blake growled.

"Yes, boss.", Yang drawled out. Blake usually took charge when it came to this type of stuff.

Yang leaned forward towards Blake's crotch. In another case of horrible timing, the door of their room then swung open. Weiss and Ruby had gotten back from their meeting with Velvet.

"So, I found that coconut juice is really good for—", Weiss explained something, before freezing at the sight before the two.

Yang quickly drew her head back from Blake. Blake stared at Weiss and Ruby, like a deer Faunus in headlights.

"Err, umm, Hi! It's… uhhh.", Yang sputtered. She couldn't really think of any other way to cover up the fact that she was about to go down on Blake.

"It's exactly what it looks like…", Yang eventually sighed out. Well, this was embarrassing to all involved parties.

Ruby managed to get out some words. "I'm going to turn around and count to ten. When I turn around, please don't be like… that, please.", she said in a completely flat voice. It was almost like her mind broke at the view.

Weiss decided to turn around with her girlfriend. She didn't want to see anything that lewd today.

As Ruby slowly counted to ten, Yang and Blake covered themselves up and tried not to look like they had been caught role-playing in a pervy way.

"Ten.", Ruby said as she turned around with Weiss. Yang and Blake were at least presentable, now.

Ruby immediately switched to a cheerful demeanor. "Hey, guys! What'd ya do while we were away?", she asked, sounding chipper. It was astounding how much Ruby was willing to completely block out things she didn't like.

Blake decided to play along with Ruby's train of thought. "Oh, I just caught up on my book quietly.", she said. That wasn't exactly a lie. She did read quite a bit, before trying to squeeze in some 'girlfriend time' with Yang.

"Awesome!", Ruby said, skipping over to the dresser and pulling out some pajamas. For Ruby, her day had officially ended.

Team WBY all looked at each other, a little confused. Collectively shrugging, they just decided to move on from what happened. Sighing in frustration, Blake walked over to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?", Weiss asked.

Blake didn't look over her shoulder to answer her. "Don't bother me for ten minutes.", she said, closing the door behind her. She briefly popped out to grab a book, and then closed the bathroom door behind her again.

Weiss and Yang decided to get into their night clothes as well. Now that Weiss thought about it, she was feeling pretty tired as well. This day was absolutely draining, considering all that happened today.

Weiss crawled into her bed, with Ruby at her side. Ruby felt very warm net to her. It was relaxing. Closing her eyes, Weiss quickly fell asleep. Ruby soon followed after her. What a day today was.

What a day indeed.

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><p><strong>And, there you have it! Another chapter gone by! Man, they grow up so fast. It makes an author proud to see them out here, free to live their own existence. Anyway, I hope you liked the story. Be sure to tell me how much it suckednot sucked in the reviews section below. This is The Draigg, signing off here and now, for now.**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Back To The Daily Grind

**Greetings, loyal readers! It is I, The Draigg! I've got another tasty chapter here for you to devour with your eyes! Now, you should know by now that I don't own RWBY, or anything else I write about. If I did, I would be absurdly rich by now. Setting my dying fantasies aside, let's get to reading!**

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><p>The rest of the weekend passed by rather uneventfully. The only thing worth mentioning is that Ruby managed to get her hands on some lace and bolts of cloth, so that Pyrrha could make some costumes. After she dumped off the supplies at Team JNPR's room, Ruby then messaged all of Task Force Musical to meet on Monday in their dorm. That was the last of anything interesting that weekend.<p>

That Monday, however, was the day that stuff that was worth observing happened. More specifically, after the classes were done for the day. Nobody likes dealing with classes, even the students and teachers. But hey, they needed job training and a paycheck, respectively.

Anyway, let's focus on the meeting with the work group. Currently, Team RWBY and JNPR plus Velvet were in the dorm room. Sure, it was a little more crowded now that all of Team RWBY's beds were now on the door, but it wasn't too bad. At least it meant there were more places to sit.

Currently, Pyrrha was showing off the costumes she had made for the foreign pop finale. Since she was used to repairing and maintaining armor, sewing was naturally not too far of a stretch for her to do.

"Wow! You're really outdone yourself, Pyrrha!", Ruby exclaimed as she looked at the costume she was going to wear on stage. It was a frilly dark red dress with black lace trim. There were two rows of black ribbons tied in bows running all the way down her chest to the skirt. The skirt itself was barely just above the knees. Overall, Pyrrha's work was rather impressive.

Blake was trying not to drool all over her costume as she held it on her lap. This was just like her idol animes! It was very much like Ruby's costume, with the colors swapped out for the ones she usually wore. The lace was dark grey, the dress itself was black, and the bows were purple. Blake kept on staring at the dress, running her hands over it. It was if the costume was a fluffy cat that wanted to be petted.

Yang looked at her costume with some concern. Not that it was a bad costume, it was incredibly well made. But, she was worried what Blake would do one Yang put it on. Like the others, her dress was made in her usual colors: Orange, brown, and yellow. Given how Blake was reacting right now to her own costume, Yang couldn't imagine what she would do once she put it on. She would probably need an I.V. drip by the time Blake was done with her.

Not breaking the pattern, Weiss' dress was also pretty much the same as the others. But here, the base colors were light blue and white. She had to applaud Pyrrha for choosing the right colors. Now that she thought about it, this costume had the perfect length to be a combat skirt. Weiss would have to keep this dress for later.

"Thanks! I hope you like them!", Pyrrha said with a smile.

"Wow, Ren!", Nora gasped, turning to her partner. "It looks like the stuff on your old poste—", Nora was about to exclaim before Ren covered her mouth.

"Please… don't bring that up.", Ren said in a low, hoarse voice. He didn't want to remember his whole 'pop idol' phase. That made middle school rougher than it should have been. It didn't help that he used to listen to idol pop nearly every moment of the day. Luckily, fire was a pretty good solution to that problem. He would need to do that once he got to visit home again.

"Jaune, what do you think?", Pyrrha asked, gesturing to Ruby's costume.

"It's… nice. Good, job, Pyrrha.", is the best Jaune could come up with. He had no real clue what foreign pop really entailed, so he didn't know if these costumes were good or not. He just assumed that these costumes were accurate enough to work.

"Thanks!", Pyrrha cheered, tilting her head to the side. Jaune smiled at her gesture. She always was adorable whenever she did that.

"My club could definitely use someone with your expertise!", Velvet said, examining Pyrrha's handiwork. Velvet couldn't sew her way out of a wet paper bag. Most of her previous costumes were either mass produced costumes or stuff she found at stores for cheap.

"Maybe I'll sign up next semester…", Pyrrha thought out loud. If Jaune was a member (albeit an on-call one), that could be a way to spend even more time with him. It was worth looking into.

Velvet audibly squeed at the thought of adding another member to the Theater Club's roster. If they could get someone popular as Pyrha to join, it would shoot up the club's popularity tenfold. That would wash the taste of their previous work (the PSA) out of everyone's mouths.

Ruby stood up and took her costume in her hands. "I'm gonna try it on.", she announced, walking over to the bathroom.

Everyone (except for Ren) was anxious to see what the dress would look like on the intended wearer. After a few minutes, Ruby came out, dressed in her costume.

"Wow!", Nora cried.

"KAWAII~ *ahem* I mean, that looks very good on you, Ruby.", Blake said, slipping up a little. Ruby did look incredibly cute in her get up. Now, Blake REALLY wanted to see Yang in hers.

Weiss' mouth was hung open a little. Ruby looked impossibly cute. She might get diabetes if she kept on staring at her girlfriend, she looked so sugary. If that happened while Weiss was wearing her costume, then she would pretty much be a white haired clone of Ruby. Her blood sugar level would reach crystalline levels.

"What do you think?", Ruby asked as she twirled around in place. Surprisingly, the combat skirt didn't move that much. It pretty much stayed still. Velvet thought that Pyrrha must have used some anti-upskirt technology or something. The others guessed that it was all due to her sewing skills.

"I think it looks great!", Weiss complimented to Ruby. She would have to definitely keep her costume. The combat skirt was simply a work of art. She couldn't just dump it off anywhere! "_Maybe Pyrrha takes commissions._", she thought. If she did, then Weiss would like for her to improve her own combat skirts.

"Does it fit well?", Pyrrha asked. Since she didn't know what their measurements were, she just guessed and hoped that she was right.

"I think it fits pretty well. It's kind of comfy, actually.", Ruby replied. She twisted her head to look at the back. Yep, it looked all good there.

"That settles it. I'm trying mine on, too.", Weiss decided as she marched past Ruby into the bathroom.

Putting on the dress was pretty easy. However, Weiss still took her time. She didn't dare ruin a piece of work as good as this. Opening the door a few minutes later, Weiss strutted out of the bathroom.

Ruby looked in awe of how her girlfriend looked in that dress. The color of the costume complimented her natural skin tone perfectly. Overall, Ruby wished then and there that Weiss would never take off the dress.

Blake was having an even stronger reaction. Two of them in idol costumes?! It was getting too much for her to handle. Blake then noticed a small trickle of blood coming out of her nose. She quickly wiped it away. If Yang put hers on next, Blake knew she wouldn't be able to control herself. She would ride Yang harder than how Yang rode her motorcycle.

"Do I look good in this?", Weiss asked the others.

"I think you look like an angel.", Ruby said in awe. Weiss smiled a little. Her girlfriend's childlike compliments were always nice to hear.

"Did it hurt when you fell?", Yang asked. Everyone paused for a minute before she continued, "From heaven, I mean.".

It would have been foolish to think that Yang wouldn't take advantage of her sister's comment. That killed the mood faster than a Beowolf killing a small, defenseless child. Everyone groaned at her 'joke'.

"Would you just stop trying?", complained Ren, massaging his temples. First Nora, now Yang. He really only needed one hyperactive 'joker' around. More than that was a form of divine retribution.

Yang stuck out her tongue at the others. "You just can't handle how good my jokes are.", Yang said, trying to make herself feel better. That's right. People with more than half a brain liked her jokes. They most certainly didn't suck horribly.

Ruby decided to change subjects from her sister's incredibly suckish humor. "So, before we move on, we need to decide on our next meeting date.", she announced. Sure, she figured that it would be tomorrow. But, Ruby felt the need to say anything after Yang's disaster of a joke.

"I'm free tomorrow.", Velvet said, looking like she was checking her calendar. In reality, she was discreetly snapping photos of Weiss and Ruby. She couldn't pass up the opportunity to do so. Those costumes appealed to her own 'tastes' on several levels.

"We're all free tomorrow, too.", Jaune said, looking at his teammates. They all nodded in agreement. Yeah, tomorrow would be fine.

"Great!", Ruby cheered, clasping her hands together. Then, she turned to Weiss. "Come on, let's change back.", she offered to her. Weiss nodded, and the pair walked into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>After a few minutes, Team White Rose came out of the bathroom, back in their regular clothes. Blake and Velvet couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Oh well, they could fetishize later, when the whole group put on their costumes.<p>

"I think that we're good for today. Good work, you guys!", Ruby said as she excused the work group rom Team RWBY's dorm room.

"See you tomorrow!", Jaune called out to Ruby, since he was the last to walk out.

Closing the door, Ruby turned to face her team.

"We're back on track, you guys!", Ruby declared while dramatically posing. She arched her back as far as she could do it while standing up, and placed on hand on her forehead. Ruby then tried to obscure her face in shadow, trying to look dramatic.

It worked as well as the other times she tried posing. In other words, not well at all. All it got Ruby was weird, confused looks from her friends. Ruby dropped her pose, embarrassed that it didn't work this time around, either.

"I agree. While it certainly took a long time to get here, we're finally back to working on our show.", Weiss said, nodding her head and agreeing. That was an objective fact. Given all the hospital incidents and the inspector showing up, it seemed like the music show had taken a back seat recently. Weiss felt that everyone was relieved as her to be back on track. Her guess was right on the lien.

"Yeah, it feels good to be back to normal.", Yang observed.

Well, as 'normal' as one could get here. After all, they were making a concert for a school that trained people to fight against the personifications of darkness and anonymity. That sure as hell wouldn't be normal on any other world. But, on the other hand, those worlds sounded pretty boring to live in.

Team RWBY took all of this talk to mean that their day was pretty much over. That meeting was pretty short. Shorter than other ones they had before, anyway. Not that it was a real problem. In fact, that was a sign that everything was going smoothly. It meant that everything was going all according to keikaku*.

Thus, the tenaciously tough team took their time to throw themselves towards their thoroughly threaded beds. Ruby felt that they should make them back into bunk beds again. Meh, she couldn't be bothered to today. Or this week. But, she was confident that Team RWBY would get around to it eventually.

Team RWBY settled into relax, going about their normal business. Weiss took out a nail file and started to manicure herself. Ruby pulled out her scroll and started to read a book she downloaded off the internet. Blake grabbed a book from under her mattress and started to read. And finally, Yang decided to take out her scroll and write in her joke diary. She needed to add the whole 'angel' crack in there. It helped to keep track of all the gut busters she made. That way, she could refine and hone in her comedy skills.

Man, it was nice that the music show was getting back on track. After all the side adventures and focusing on certain events over others, they barely had any time to get much done. But, now that their quest was back on track, nothing could stand in their way to get their work shown to everyone at Beacon.

The proverbial train kept on chugging along nicely.

* * *

><p><strong>Boom goes the dynamite! Now the chapter's over! Now, I bet a few of you are glad to be back on track. Don't worry, the music show will be coming up. Hold onto your britches until then! And leave me a kind word of criticism in the reviews section. Remember, I read them ALL. Now, this is The Draigg, signing off until the next update.<strong>

***Translator's Note: Keikaku means plan.**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39: J-Poppin' Two: Electric Boogaloo

**Hey, it's The Draigg here again, but I figure that you people already know that by know. If I'm replaced by The Fraigg, I'm pretty sure you could figure that out quickly. Before my evil twin shows up, since I said his name, I need to tell you something. Hey, pal, I don't own anything. That includes RWBY and anything else I write about. Now, I need to get out of here quickly, before The Fraigg shows up. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p>The students of Beacon Academy were trained in many arts and skills. They were trained to fight, to heal, and to take advantage of their environment to neutralize the enemy at hand. All of this was studied in the hopes of pushing back the darkness of Grimm. Unfortunately, the one thing that Beacon didn't teach, however, was interpersonal conflict resolution. If it did, then the argument taking place wouldn't be happening right now.<p>

"Weiss, I really respect you as a friend. Really, I do. But, don't you think you're being a tad dumb on this decision?', Velvet asked, questioning Weiss' decision making skills.

Weiss gasped at Velvet's statement. How DARE she call her ideas dumb?! Velvet was the dumb one here! Dumb! DUMB!

"No, YOU'RE the one making bad decisions! '_Rhythm Emotion_' is clearly the better option to have!", Weiss spat back angrily. Why couldn't Velvet just accept that Weiss was right about this! Her song was better than '_Just Communication_'!

Everyone else sat around in Team RWBY's dorm room, watching this petty argument go on. Since the meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday was dedicated to music choice, this fight sprung up rather quickly.

"Can you just please calm down?", Blake asked, standing up to get in-between the two. She had enough of this by now. Really, this choice shouldn't be blown out of proportion. They had other things to work on.

"Not until she says I'm right!", Weiss huffed as she crossed her arms. A childish pout formed on her face.

"Look, I just want to get my opinion out there. And, as Theater Club President, I feel that my opinion carries weight.", justified Velvet. Her reasons made perfect sense to her. Why was Weiss being so difficult?

Blake sighed. Of course they would come to blows during this project. They both had roughly the same amount of drive to get the music show completed. Blake just hoped that they could just agree on this quickly. It was getting annoying listening to the argument.

"Do I have to put you in the corner?", Blake asked to Weiss semi-seriously. Weiss was smaller than her, so Blake could easily pick her up and put her in a corner. The same went for Velvet, too.

"Yeah, does she?", Velvet said, backing up Blake. She hoped that this would push the debate in her favor.

Unfortunately, Blake didn't feel the same way. All she was to them was a neutral mediator. Thus, she leered over at Velvet, menacingly.

"Don't think that makes you any better.", Blake scolded in a low voice.

Velvet's ears lowered, and held her hands to her chest, now feeling afraid. "S-sorry…", Velvet squeaked out. Cats made for good predators against rabbits. It was the rules of nature, after all.

"How about we settle this outside?", Ruby suggested. It was upsetting her that two of her finest friends were fighting right in front of her eyes.

"Good idea. Ruby, can you help?", Blake asked. She grabbed Velvet by the waist and started to carry her out of the door. Velvet was whimpering in Blake's grasp. Blake was going to eat her!

Ruby took the lead with her girlfriend. She grabbed Weiss by the hands and started pulling. Weiss looked annoyed as she was dragged on her heels out of the door as well. This was degrading. If Ruby wasn't her girlfriend, she would have started screaming in anger by now.

Team Nature and Team White Rose left the others in the dorm room. Yang and Team JNPR looked on with a mixture of mirth and confusion. This would be interesting.

* * *

><p>Team Ladybug sat Velvet and Weiss down in the hallway. Weiss refused to look at Velvet, while Velvet picking at her fingers. She was feeling rather nervous. Velvet had never been scolded before like this (she was usually too quiet to cause a stir), so she didn't know what to expect.<p>

"Now, I want you to look each other in the eyes. That means you, Weiss.", Blake said firmly. I response, Weiss turned her head farther away.

"I said look at Velvet, missy.", ordered Blake, her voice growing harder.

"No!", Weiss pouted. She folded her arms in defiance.

"Weiss, honey, could you just do it for me?", Ruby asked, putting on her best 'disappointed in you' eyes. Guilt tripping usually worked.

Hearing Ruby's voice, Weiss turned her head to look at Ruby. Seeing the expression in her eyes, Weiss suddenly felt very bad. It was mean of her to make Ruby feel this way. Sighing, Weiss turned to Velvet, in order to make Ruby feel better in her.

"Now Velvet, I want you to shake hands with Weiss, okay?", Blake then asked, sounding a bit more patient. Velvet stuck out her hand to Weiss. Weiss hesitated to shake it, but then she remembered Ruby's sad face. Sighing in annoyance, Weiss begrudgingly shook Velvet's hand.

"Good! I'm proud of you two!", Ruby cheered, clapping her hands. However, Blake held her hand up to Ruby. She stopped clapping and tried to look serious.

"Now, I want you two to come to an agreement. '_Just Communication_', or '_Rhythm Emotion_'?", Blake said, taking on the role of the stern parent again.

"But Velvet is wrong!", Weiss protested. Why couldn't they see that?

Velvet also complained, "But my choice is better!".

"I don't care! Now make a decision! Or do I have to bring Yang out here?", threatened Blake.

"No ma'am..", Velvet and Weiss mumbled.

"Now, when Ruby and I come back out here, you better have agreed on something.", Blake said, walking back into the dorm room.

Before Ruby left the two, she said, "Don't worry, I'll love you both either way.". She tried to sound like a good person, who supported them equally. Ruby just couldn't bring herself to be stern and mean.

Both Weiss and Velvet gave weak smiles, before turning to face each other. Their eyes steeled over. Closing the door, Ruby hoped that they wouldn't hurt each other. She still needed their help.

So, Team Ladybug left Team Snow Hare to pound out a compromise.

* * *

><p>After twenty minutes, Ruby was starting to get a little worried. They hadn't come back in yet. Did something go wrong? Or did they just leave everyone? Oh god, what was happening?! Ruby was playing with her fingers, trying not to worry too much. But, her nerves were fraying by now.<p>

"They sure are taking a long time…", Nora thought out loud. She had been keeping herself busy by reading the tag on the bed blankets over and over again.

"Yeah, no kidding.", Jaune said, agreeing.

"Should we check on them?", asked Pyrrha, a little concerned now, too.

Ruby couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up and walked over to the door. But then she was stopped by Blake grabbing her arm.

"Wait, don't go out yet.", Blake advised, "You might interrupt them.".

"My friends are out there! I'm going!", Ruby declared, shaking off Blake's hand. Storming out of the door, she didn't really expect to see much. But, to her surprise, Ruby saw Weiss and Velvet leaning against each other, with Weiss patting Velvet on the back.

"You just needed to come out and say it! It does no good to hide what you think!", Weiss said in a soothing voice. Clearly, she was comforting Velvet on something.

"B-but… what if people think less of me because of it?", asked a fearful Velvet. She was clutching her knees against her chest.

"I think it would be brave of you just to say it.", Weiss encouraged.

"A-am I interrupting something?", Ruby asked, making her presence known.

"Oh, Ruby! Velvet has something important to tell you!", Weiss said, perking up. She figured this would be a good way have Velvet get her secret off her chest.

Now Ruby was a bit curious. "What do you want to tell me?", Ruby asked, sounding supportive.

"I… I… I like… to…", Velvet started, nervous to say what she was thinking.

Ruby leaned forward in anticipation. Clearly, this was something big for Velvet to announce.

"I like to write fan fiction!", she then declared, finding her voice.

Ruby arched her eyebrow. That was her secret? She thought it would be something like 'I'm secretly a man' or something. Not that that she would like Velvet less. But it would be a small shock if that was true.

"That's good, Velvet! It's nice to be creative like that!", Ruby said, patting Velvet's head. Velvet smiled a little at her friend's touch.

"I mean, all kinds of fan fiction.", Velvet then clarified.

"Oh? Like what?", Ruby asked, a little curious.

Now Velvet looked embarrassed again. But, she knew she had to get it out there.

"Boy love…", she mumbled, looking at the ground. The carpeting was rather nice.

An awkward silence fell over Ruby. She guessed that Blake must have rubbed off on Velvet (not in that way) in some way. Well, at least Velvet's stories couldn't possibly be as bad as Blake's.

Ruby decided to quickly change subjects, trying to avoid this awkward situation. "So, did you guys decided on a song?", she asked.

Weiss and Velvet stopped in place. They had completely forgotten about choosing a song. "We… uh… didn't get around to it, no.", Weiss said, now feeling embarrassed. How could she have forgotten about something so important?

Ruby's face froze in a smile. How could they forget? So now, listening to that whole argument earlier and worrying about the two came to absolutely nothing. Her eye twitched a little. "…No, huh?", Ruby asked, trying not to let her stress to freak her out. They only had a few days to get this right, darn it!

"N-no…", stuttered Velvet. She and Weiss stood up, and started to edge towards the dorm room door. Ruby's face was starting to scare them a little.

Ruby's fists were starting to clench and un-clench. Breathing heavily, she could feel her emotions start to run rampant. Her mental house of cards was starting to fall apart now.

"Ruby… honeybun… calm down…", Weiss said slowly, starting to walk towards Ruby. Hopefully, she could be calmed down before she could do anything stupid.

"No… no….nononono…", Ruby began to mumble to herself. Her eyes were darting in-between Velvet and Weiss. Weiss had some serious lady balls to keep on moving towards Ruby.

"I love you, Ruby. Just calm down…", Weiss kept on trying to soothe Ruby. She looked out of the corner of her vision. Velvet had taken the opportunity to flee back into the dorm room. That coward! She needed back up here!

"Calm down? I should calm down? How can I be calm if all I do is think about you?! The music show?! Calm?! CALM?!", Ruby cried out, her worry finally catching up to her. She had done an admirable job keeping it in check for the past week or so, but it was only a matter of time before it came to the surface.

Weiss took this as a chance to tackle Ruby in a hug. She had learned a thing or two from her girlfriend. Ruby was breathing deeply on Weiss' embrace. Weiss had to admit that Ruby had done a good job helping her out. It was about time Weiss was able to return the favor.

"Slow down… slow down…", Weiss whispered in Ruby's ear. She was rubbing her hand on Ruby's back in small circles.

Feeling Ruby's breathing slow down a little, Weiss looked into Ruby's eyes. They were still darting around, still unfocused. "You don't have to worry so much.", Weiss said. "You've got me, after all.".

"I know… but… oh man… I'm tired. So tired…", Ruby managed to say in response. Weiss wasn't to surprised that Ruby was feeling stressed. With all the work she put into her friends and the music show, Weiss was surprised that Ruby's hair wasn't as white as hers by now.

"We can rest, don't worry. I've got this.", Weiss reassured to her girlfriend. With Ruby in her arms, Weiss helped her back through the door.

* * *

><p>The door kicked open, and Ruby was dragged into the room by Weiss.<p>

"Did you guys decide on a song?", Yang asked, looking up from her scroll. She hadn't been involved in this meeting too much.

Weiss took this an opportunity to get this whole foreign pop issue out of the way. "Yes. We decided on '_Rhythm Emotion_' as the song.", she declared firmly.

Velvet wanted to speak up in protest, but then she saw the look in Weiss' eyes. Clearly, this wasn't the time to start arguing again. She could let Weiss have this one. Both Ruby and Weiss deserved it.

"It's about time.", Blake noted, not looking up from the book she was reading. At least this issue was finally resolved.

"I think we're done for today.", Weiss declared, looking around at everyone. Everyone could clearly see how ragged Ruby looked in Weiss' arms.

Filing out of the room, Team JNPR wondered why they were brought here if they didn't have anything to add to the decisions. Oh well, it wasn't like they wouldn't have anything to do later. Velvet was the last to leave, giving Weiss and Ruby an apologetic look on the way out. Weiss simply nodded at her.

Placing Ruby on the bed, Weiss sat next to her, running her hand through Ruby's hair. It felt a little rough, since she didn't regularly condition it. But, Weiss didn't care. It still felt nice to her.

"Thanks… Weiss…", Ruby mumbled as she drifted into the land of sleep.

"For what?", Weiss asked, confused. Why was she thanking her? However, she didn't get an answer, since Ruby had fallen asleep so quickly. Oh well, she would tell her tomorrow.

A lot of stuff was certainly happening now that Task Force Musical was closer to their goal. Maybe it was the stress catching up to them. Maybe it was their emotions boiling to the surface all at once. Or maybe, it was the universe playing with everyone once more.

As if the reasons why really mattered. All that mattered was that their real emotions were dealt with. As long they were out in the open and addressed in the proper manner, all the involved peoples could be free to be who they really were.

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><p><strong>Oh god, he's breaking in! I have to make this quick! Those Two-Mix songs (Just Communication and Rhythm Emotion) are pretty good, check them out! And drop me a kind word in the reviews section! Wait, he's coming through the walls! This is The Draigg, signing off to hold off The Fraigg!<strong>


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Be Still, My Vocal Cords

**Hey, friends, readers, and other people! It's me again! Who it is, I'll leave to you to figure it out. Anyway, before we get to going over this chapter I typed up, I should tell you that Monty Oum owns RWBY, not I. I really don't own anything I talk about, unfortunately. If I did, there would be a ton of subliminal messaging in those works. Now that you know that well enough, let's get to the story, huh?**

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><p>Weiss wasn't planning having lunch (of the solid kind) on Wednesday. Now that the music list was finalized, she wanted to practice her vocalization as soon as the day was over. While more practice was always a good thing, this unfortunately meant that she couldn't talk or do all too much. If she did, then her throat would be unsuitable for the amounts of practice she was planning for today. So, she tried to minimize the possible damage to her voice.<p>

Of course, leave it to Yang to take advantage of this. As Team RWBY made their way to the cafeteria, Yang was making a lot of jokes at her expense. Weiss' patience was being driven to unthinkable ends.

"Whoever isn't a loser, speak up!", was Yang's latest incredibly lame attempt to troll Weiss.

"Huh?", noised Ruby, a little confused.

"Really?", was Blake's incredulous reply.

Yang's grin was spread from ear to ear. This was simply too good. The gods of comedy and unnecessary trolling had surely blessed her today. Weiss' face grew red at Yang's teasing.

"Hey, I'm just saying that if you can't talk, you just don't have much going for you.", Yang said in her defense. She raised her hands in a blocking gesture. "Besides, if you said anything, you're not a loser.", she also pointed out.

Right now, Weiss' face began to resemble a volcano. She was bright red, fuming, and ready to blow up at a moment's notice. Ruby grew concerned, since Weiss was giving the color of her cloak a run for her lien.

"Yang, could you please stop? It isn't nice to make fun of her.", Ruby asked, pointing her thumb to Weiss. If Weiss could talk, then she would express gratitude to her girlfriend.

"Don't be hatin' Rubes!", Yang said, her grin growing. Ruby looked on in worry. She knew that look. That meant that she had thought of another joke while talking. This wasn't good.

"Hmm, maybe that joke fell a little SHORT. I bet Weiss would know something about that. What do you think?", Yang said, taking a jab at Weiss' short height. Yang looked at Weiss expectantly, with a grin that could be best described as the one someone who regularly ate fecal matter would have.

"_Don't punch her, don't punch her, don't punch her, don't punch her…_", Weiss kept on chanting in her mind. She thought that Yang's face would fit nicely around her fist. Oh man, Yang was lucky that Weiss refused to talk. Otherwise, she would be buried underneath landslide of insults.

Blake groaned at what she was hearing. Her girlfriend(-ish. They didn't really do too many romantic things.) was letting out the side of her that was like an overgrown child. While it could be endearing sometimes, Yang didn't know when she had run other's patience into the ground. But, once Yang got to be like this, even Blake couldn't stop her. They just needed to wait for her to get tired. Either that, or when someone tried to attack her. One or the other would be happening soon.

"Can you just give it a beak? Please?", Ruby pleaded. It was only a matter of time until something bad happened.

"Hey, Weiss knows what I'm TALKING about. SAYING all these jokes is pretty good, right? Or are they too SMALL to stand on their own?", punned Yang. Three in a row was a pretty good try for her. But then, her thoughts about her records were cut short as she was launched through the air.

Making the glyph disappear, Weiss' mood visibly changed. Sighing in relief, she smiled a little. Blake and Ruby looked and shrugged at each other as Weiss merrily walked down the path. Seeing noting they could do, they just decided to walk with Weiss.

* * *

><p>"<em>Wow, I'm pretty far up.<em>", Yang thought as she careened through the sky. In hindsight, she really should have seen this one coming. Maybe the comments on her height were a bit too much. Oh well, she couldn't dwell on that now. All she had to worry about now was to activate her aura before she hit the ground

Well, whenever that might happen. It didn't seem like that would happen any time soon.

Yang scanned the sky around her, waiting for gravity to take over. Man, gravity sure was taking his/her sweet time making her fall.

"_Oh, that's a pretty bird._", she thought as a bird flew by. It was a neat bird. It had blue feathers and black plumage on it's chest. "_I think I'll call it George._", Yang decided.

Now Yang could feel gravity kick in and decide where she would land. Unfortunately, it was right on the cafeteria. This was a convenient shortcut, actually. Well, better make her aura appear before it was too late.

"_See ya, George._", she thought as she tried to wave goodbye to the bird. Unfortunately, all she could do is flail around uncontrollably as the air whipped past her at a fast rate. Now it just seemed like gravity was over-compensating for earlier.

Folding her aura around her, Yang crashed through the cafeteria roof. The other students really didn't care. In fact, not many people looked at the busty blonde that crashed through the ceiling. Weird stuff happened here all the time. This was nothing much to worry about.

"_Oh hey, ice—_", was Yang's last thought before she crushed the frozen yogurt machine under her. It was a tasteful landing, indeed.

* * *

><p>When Team RWB walked into the cafeteria, they were a little surprised that Yang landed in there. They were less surprised that she wasn't moving too much. She must have spent a lot of aura to absorb the shock of the impact. But hey, she was a big girl. She could deal with it.<p>

Ruby was less concerned about her sister than the fact that Yang had crushed the desert bar. While she knew Yang could recover relatively quickly, she also knew that it would take a while to rebuild the desert bar. Plus, Beacon would probably take the difference out of Yang's student account. That might become a problem later. But, she pushed her worries aside as Team JNPR waved them over to their table. It was time for her to stuff her tummy with the sugary, tooth rotting food she preferred to eat.

But first, Ruby made sure to grab up some frozen yogurt from where Yang lied. Taking an uncrushed bowl, she scooped some off of Yang's torso. Bleh, it was blueberry flavor. Well, maybe Weiss would like it. She took a quick glance at her sister, who was still in shock from the fall. At least she didn't get a head injury. Those healed slowly, even with the help of aura. Yang should be up and at 'em in no time, given her current state.

So, Ruby took the frozen treat to Weiss and got in line for her own lunch. Hopefully, nothing too bad would happen for the rest of today.

* * *

><p>The rest of that day wasn't too bad. That lunch session in particular was fine. Surprisingly, Weiss really did like blueberry frozen yogurt. And, Nora's bizarre story about combining mechas and the power of love got at least half of everyone's attention. Eventually, before the lunch session was over, Yang managed to get up and join Teams RWBY and JNPR at the table. Sure, she was pretty sticky due to being covered in confectionery and other sugary foods, but that wasn't a real issue. After one quick tongue bath from Blake in the closet, Yang was mostly as good as new.<p>

As for the classes, the teachers didn't really mind that Weiss wasn't talking today. At least it allowed other students to answer questions in her place. Weiss often tried too hard to answer every question asked. So, it was refreshing to hear other opinions.

So, as the last class ended for the day, Team RWBY thought that the universe had tossed them a bone today. Well, mostly a bone. Okay, maybe not the entire bone. Maybe just half of it. Or, just the marrow. But at least they got a part of the bone to begin with. That was more they could say compared to some of the other days that Team RWBY (plus or minus some members) had to slog through.

Walking back to the Dormitories, Weiss decided it was a good time to get started on her practice.

"Do re mi fa so la ti do. Do ti la so fa mi re do.", she vocalized, practicing her pitch and scale.

"You know, I kind of expected you to talk normally once you opened you mouth.", Yang observed.

Weiss shot her an annoyed glare. "If you MUST know, I'm doing my warm up routine. If I'm to be singing for the entirety of the show, it's important to get my routine started early.", she explained. Yang simply threw her arms up in surrender. Weiss knew what she was talking about better than her.

"La la la LA la la LA la la", harmonized Weiss, massaging her throat while making noises. Everyone decided it was best for them not to comment on Weiss' techniques. She knew what she was doing. Plus, it was towards a good cause.

Honestly, how bad could it be?

* * *

><p>Roughly five hours later, Weiss hadn't stopped her practicing. Ruby had stopped listening around hour two, and decided to drown her out by listening to the music on her scroll with her headphones. That, coupled with the book currently covering her face, drowned out the world to her.<p>

Yang and Blake weren't so fortunate. Yang didn't have headphones, and holding a pillow over her head didn't help much. Blake's enhanced hearing form her Faunus ears made things even worse. In fact, her singing was amplified to her. It must have been the pitch doing that. As a result, she was being driven mad. A cat Faunus and loud, close noises didn't mix too well.

"Would you please just stop?", Yang begged, still holding the pillow over her head. "It's past ten o'clock! I need to sleep!", she cried, holding the clock up to Weiss' face.

Weiss refused to heed Yang's pleas. In fact, she decided to practice even louder. Her practice was good on two fronts: getting her voice just right, and getting revenge on Yang for her earlier jokes.

Blake wasn't handling this whole practice thing well at all. She was pacing around the room, clutching at her ears and groaning. Her eyes darted around frantically. Damn her ancestry! All of these loud noises were making her jumpy! This was worse than the time Yang brought in that laser pointer!

Luckily, salvation arrived in the form of a knock at the door. Weiss opened it to reveal Jaune and Ren standing there, in their pajamas. Both of them looked rather tired.

"Weiss, can you please, keep it down in here?", Jaune asked of her. "My whole team is tired. Just please stop the singing already!".

"Look, I need to do this to get ready for this weekend. If you don't like it, you can deal with it.", Weiss replied, annoyed. This was her practice, damn it!

Ren at this point shoved Weiss out of the way and into the room. If looks could kill, then Beacon would have to be declared a Zone of Alienation. Grabbing the digital clock of of the desk, he shoved it towards Weiss.

"Can you tell me the time on this?", Ren asked, dead serious.

Weiss looked at him nonplussed, and replied "It says it's ten twenty.".

"Right. Now, we've got a room full of tired teammates, of which one of them needs her sleep desperately. And if they don't get their sleep, that one person will kill everything in sight with a big hammer in the morning. Do you understand? She. Will. KILL. Us.", Ren explained in a menacing, almost flat voice. Jaune looked sheepish standing in the hallway, as if he wanted to say that but couldn't.

Weiss hadn't considered that Team JNPR might hear her loud practicing. Now, the thought of an angry Nora with a hammer that also shot grenades was completely terrifying. Given the right amount of time and ammunition, she could level the entire building.

"O-okay, I'll stop. This was good enough for today, anyway.", Weiss said, agreeing with Ren's sentiment.

"Thank you.", he replied, still sounding annoyed. He then walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Never mess with a sleep deprived Lie Ren.

Sweet, sweet silence filled the room at last. Weiss sat down on her bed, while Blake flopped onto hers. All of that pacing around made her pretty tired. Unfortunately, Yang then broke that moment of silence to pieces.

"Remind me to get them a thank you card tomorrow.", Yang said, half seriously.

"Oh, very funny, Yang.", Weiss snarled.

"You think so?", Yang asked, her eyes lighting up. A heavy silence grew between them.

"No.", Weiss replied coolly.

Yang slumped back down on her bed. "Aww…", she moaned.

Well, all things considered, that Wednesday overall wasn't too bad. At least the universe saved them some marrow. That was enough to carry the day to completion.

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><p><strong>Whabam! Another chapter completed! I must admit it's nice to have the end in sight, now. Not that it's a bad thing for me to keep writing like this, but at least now I have a defined destination. So, anyway, if you could drop me a kind or critical message in the reviews section, that would be great. This is The Draigg, signing off currently.<strong>


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Let's Split Up, Gang!

**Gather around, my children! It's your special friend, The Draigg! Now, ready to hear a story? Yes, indeed it's a special story. So special, that it wasn't made by me. RWBY belongs to Monty Oum, and I don't own anything I tell you about. Now, sit in your squares, find your buddies, and settle in for story time!**

* * *

><p>Thursday. The day of musical reckoning was coming closer every hour. They were only a couple of days away from their show. Currently, Task Force Musical was split up to work on multiple fronts after classes. Ruby and Weiss were practicing the songs on the list. Team JNPR was setting up the movement markers on stage, and also moving around the speaker equipment into the right places. Blake, Yang, and Velvet were over at the snack bar, trying to get the staff there ready for the influx of customers that evening of the show.<p>

Now, let's observe the mentioned groups in the order they were mentioned in. We begin here with Ruby and Weiss.

* * *

><p>Team White Rose were lounging around in their dorm room, practicing some of the songs on the show list.<p>

"How was that?", Weiss asked Ruby. She had just finished her sixth song in her practice order. It was important to get it just right, so she was not only singing, she was also working on her body language as well. It was just as important as singing when it came to performance art.

Ruby, who was sitting on her bed, perked up at Weiss' voice. Sure, Weiss' singing was absolutely great. But, after a while just staring at Weiss, the songs started to blend together. Plus, even though it might break Weiss' heart to say it, she was absolutely stiff in her movements.

Apparently, she had forgotten how she acted on stage before. Which was understandable, since she had a lot on her plate recently. In fact, one could say that her emotional plate recently looked like that of a world-class competitive eater at an all you can eat buffet. It was probably filled with a bunch of sausage spaghetti, corn bread, green bean casserole, and chocolate pie. It wasn't healthy in the slightest. Anyway, let's get back to the subject at hand.

Deciding to take the diplomatic route, Ruby replied, "Well… your singing was fine, as usual… but…".

That raised Weiss' eyebrows. "But what?", she asked, now concerned. Was her movement awkward? Did she look nervous? What was it? WHAT?!

"I… umm… you look really stiff.", Ruby said, finding no other way to phrase her criticism. Weiss' body language wasn't acceptable, to say the least. Her legs were locked in place, and one of her arms was stuck to her side. The other one was mimicking holding up a microphone. She wasn't aware that large beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.

Stiff? STIFF?! What the hell happened to her confidence? Weiss was sure that she had gotten over her fears of public singing the first time the music show came around. But, maybe all of that stuff with her family regrew her fears slightly. This wasn't good. She only had a few days to get ready for the music show!

"But… I can't freeze up on stage! I can't! What can I do?", Weiss exclaimed to herself, pacing around the room. She was playing with her ponytail roughly, deep in thought. Why now? Why was her body betraying her mind? Weiss' hyperactive breathing was starting up again, her tic coming up to the surface once more.

Ruby stood up and moved over to Weiss. Putting her hands on Weiss' shoulders she gently pushed her onto the bed to sit. She then kneeled in front of Weiss, holding her hands. Weiss' hands were shaking slightly in her grasp.

"Weiss, look at me.", Ruby commanded, staring straight at Weiss' face. Weiss' icy blue eyes locked with Ruby's gaze.

"Now, I know that all of this is a little scary. In fact, it's A LOT scary. Heck, even I'm a little afraid. But, I can't let that fear stop me. I won't let it, because I can believe in my friends to support me whenever I may fall.", comforted Ruby, rubbing Weiss' smooth hands. They stopped shaking, due to her massage.

"But… what should I do? What Can I do?", Weiss asked, sounding a little desperate. She needed to overcome this NOW.

"Believe in me who believes in you!", Ruby suggested with a smile. "Trust me, it always works! As long as you know that I'm there for you, you can't fail!". She then stood up, wanting to sit next to Weiss. Plopping next to her, Ruby wrapped her arm around Weiss' shoulder. In return, Weiss did the same.

"How lucky am I to end up with you?", Weiss sighed, her confidence boosted by Ruby's kind words. Her lips curled into a small smile. Ruby's simple honesty never failed to make her feel better.

"I'm not really sure… a lot, I think?", Ruby guessed in response. She looked completely baffled at Weiss' rhetorical question.

Sighing, Weiss ruffled Ruby's hair. Hopping off of the bed, Weiss pulled out her scroll to look at the song list. She could do this. For her. Always for her.

"Ready for another one?", Weiss asked, readying herself for the next song. She could feel the tendons in her muscles loosen. Her body was starting to match her confidence.

Ruby nodded, and pulled up the song sheet herself to look at the lyrics. The heart she wore on her sleeve knew that Weiss would do well. She just knew it.

So, Weiss began to sing again, making her best practice session so far.

* * *

><p>Moving on, let's now shift our attention to Blake, Yang, and Velvet. They were leaning against the snack bar's counter, talking to the cashier there.<p>

* * *

><p>"Wow, that much eh?", the cashier said in response to the estimated amount of attendees for the show. Of course, Yang exaggerated when she said well over three thousand. But hey, if it got the snack bar to work with them, a small white lie was okay.<p>

Blake, of course, wasn't having any of that. She elbowed Yang in the ribs to punish her. Wincing from the pain, Yang asked, "What? It could happen!". Her rationalization wasn't exactly wrong. But on the other hand, that was clearly some B.S. she made up on the spot.

"What my partner means to say, is to expect plenty of customers.", Blake clarified to the cashier. Velvet nodded at Blake's statement. Then Velvet added:

"Exactly. All we ask is that you stay open through our show. That way, you get plenty of lien, and we get our audience to stay around. It works out for both of us.". Velvet's reasoning certainly made sense. People loved snacks, especially at public events. Why not work with the people who provided them?

"Okay, okay.", the cashier said, raising his hands. "No need to convince me. As far as I'm concerned, it's a good deal.", he said to the work group.

"So, we can rely on you to service our audience?", asked Blake for clarification.

"Yeah, sure. I'm on duty that day anyway, so it's cool.", the cashier replied, scratching his dark green hair with a pale-ish hand. Now that he thought about it, didn't his brother deal with these people before? He did mention an aloof girl in black and a busty blonde lady asking him for music supplies.

"Groovy!", Yang exclaimed, extending her fist out. The cashier bumped it in response. The deal was sealed.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have met my brother, Rickert, would you? He works in the Music Club.", the cashier asked the group before they left.

Now it clicked in Blake and Yang's heads. That cashier DID look a little familiar! That must have been his brother that was the Music Club president!

"Oh, yeah! We did!", Yang exclaimed. Man, what a coincidence!

"Indeed.", Blake added. "If you see him, send our thanks.", she asked of the cashier.

"Yeah, sure. Oh, and…", the cashier said, moving his pointed finger over to Yang. "He said you tried to seduce him! Pfft! Ha!". For some reason, the cashier then burst out laughing. Velvet looked confused, Blake face palmed, and Yang blushed in embarrassment. That certainly wasn't her proudest decision.

"Oh *snort* man… It wouldn't have even worked!", the cashier exclaimed, his laughter dying down a little.

"And why not?", Yang asked, now feeling like her pride was tarnished. Why wouldn't her lifting up her top have worked?

With his laughter now down to a small chuckle, the cashier replied, "He has a boyfriend!". Then, the cashier's laughter picked up again.

Now Yang felt incredibly dumb. Leave it to her to try and expose her chest to a gay guy. In hindsight, that day was now even worse than before. And here she thought the universe couldn't mess with the past.

Choking noises left Yang's throat, as she tried to find some words. The part of her brain that could for sentences failed her. So, deciding to cut her losses, Yang abruptly walked away. By the looks of it, she was heading over to the cafeteria. She wanted some ice cream to drown her sorrows. Yang was in for a nasty surprise, since she forgot that she crushed the dessert counter yesterday.

Blake decided to follow after her, wondering what the hell she was doing. Velvet did a double take as Blake suddenly disappeared from her side. She began to head in her direction as well, but then quickly turned her attention to the cashier.

"We're still good, right…", Velvet began to ask as she looked at the cashier's name tag, "…Cedric?".

"Yeah, we're good.", Cedric replied through his continued chuckles.

Nodding, Velvet then followed her friends towards the cafeteria. What the heck had happened to cause this reaction? She hoped to get an answer.

* * *

><p>And now, we will now focus on Team JNPR, who were working on the final touches on the stage for the show.<p>

* * *

><p>Ren was feeling perturbed by his teammate's behavior right now. Granted, that was a common feeling nowadays, but today he was feeling it pretty hard. Pyrrha was supposed to be helping Jaune place movement markers on the stage, but she was clearly staring at his rear as he bended over to place the stage markers down. Ren thought that her lechery would be over once they had sex. Unfortunately, that wasn't reality. If anything, Pyrrha's ogling had grown even more blatant. Ren guessed that one taste wasn't enough for her.<p>

Nora, on the other hand, was at least trying to work. 'Trying' was the key word there. For every five minutes she spent putting speakers and audio equipment into place, there was at least twenty more where she goofed around incessantly. Nora was currently in her twenty minute phase.

"Nora, get down from there!", Ren shouted upward. Nora was perched on the lighting rigs, staring at the view of the Emerald Forest.

"But it's so nice up here! I feel like a bird!", Nora shouted down to Ren.

"I can see up your skirt!", warned Ren. While that was true, it didn't really do much for him. Since they grew up together, there wasn't a part of her that he didn't get a fair look at. Ren felt that Nora didn't really care, as long as it was only him. She could get clingy at times. Oh well, that's what comes with having a 'special friend'.

Nora cried back, "You should come up here!". Clearly, she didn't heed Ren's warning.

"No, I'm not going up there! Just come down already!", Ren shouted even louder. Ren wasn't used to yelling this much. He was perfectly fine having his voice stay low. In fact, that was his preferred setting.

"No! I don't want to!", Nora complained back to him.

Ren pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Why was living with Nora so hard? But, he knew he had only himself to blame for that. If Ren didn't feel love for her, he would have been long gone by now.

Then, an idea struck Ren. "If you come down, I'll make you pancakes on the hotplate!", he bargained. If direct orders didn't work, bribery usually did the trick.

Nora's mouth watered at the thought of Ren's pancakes. Ren knew how to make a mean flapjack. She also really appreciated the fact that Ren would go through the trouble to cook for her. After all, love and attention always made for the best ingredients.

Finally swayed to come down off the lighting rigs, Nora leapt from the top. Landing on her feet, she shuffled around excitedly in front of Ren.

"When can we have them? Tomorrow? Oh! Can we have breakfast for dinner?!", she asked enthusiastically.

Ren decided to make use of Nora's boundless energy. "We can do that…", he began to say, noticing the light on Nora's eyes grow.

"But…", he continued, "Only if you can set up all of this equipment in the right order.".

Nora snapped her arm into a crisp salute. "You've got it, Captain Ren!", she said, puffing out her chest. Dropping her salute, she dashed over to the stack of audio equipment and started working.

Ren simply sighed and turned away. Well, that ought to take her about another half hour to finish. Whenever his cooking was on the line, Ren could always rely on Nora to get stuff done. It was like a rule of nature.

Now, with that issue out of the way, Ren decided to go over to Jaune and Pyrrha. Now, he no issue currently with Jaune. At least he was doing his job, placing down those markers. It was Pyrrha that was being unproductive. If she bothered to help Jaune instead of stare at his rear, placing the markers would go twice as fast.

"Enjoying the view?', snarked Ren as he walked up behind Pyrrha. She jumped a little in surprise.

"Oh! Hello, Ren! I didn't see you there!", Pyrrha exclaimed, waving at him.

Leaning against a speaker tower, Ren stared directly at Pyrrha with a judging gaze. Pyrrha shifted around, a little uncomfortable. Ren could be really good at covering up his intentions when he wanted to. That's why they stopped having casino night every weekend. His poker face was too good.

"So, is Jaune's butt looking any different than it did a few minutes ago?", Ren asked bluntly. Being unsubtle was a good way to throw people off their game.

Pyrrha's eyes briefly widened, before they went back to normal. She had been caught! Thinking quickly, she tried to play off what she was doing.

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about, Ren. Not at all.", she said, shifting her eyes around suspiciously. Pyrrha was too honest for her own good, even when it was unintentional. She couldn't lie her way out of a wet paper bag.

"Uh huh.", Ren replied, his tone completely deadpan. "Just keep it in the bedroom, okay?", he asked of her.

Pyrrha, whose blush of embarrassment was matching the color of her hair, nodded in agreement. She was supposed to be a role model to people, not someone who should be in a watch list!

However, by the time that Ren had finished warning Pyrrha, Jaune had finished putting down his movement markers in place. After brushing some dust off of his jeans, he walked over to his two teammates.

"Hey guys. Are you done too?", he asked, rubbing a kink out of his back. Bending over all the time sure annoyed his back.

"Well, I'm sure Pyrrha is done with what she was doing.", Ren noted, looking at her.

"Err, uh, that's right! We've done some good work here.", Pyrrha said in order to cover up any guilt that showed on her face. Ren rolled his eyes at her statement.

Silence then blanketed the small group.

"I'm going to help Nora now.", declared Pyrrha, walking over to her energetic, ginger haired friend.

Before Jaune could follow after her, Ren stopped him. He leaned over to Jaune and said, "She was checking you out, you know.".

Unexpectedly, Jaune grinned at the notion. Ren was slightly confused at his smiling. Why was he doing that?

"Yeah, I know. Trust me, I could tell.", Jaune said, smirking. Then, he clapped Ren on the back and said, "Like my dad always said, you gotta play the long game.".

As Jaune then strutted off to join Nora and Pyrrha, Ren looked on in bemusement. So, Jaune wasn't that clueless after all, the sly dog! He had to give Jaune credit for that. Ren was fine with it as long as it didn't affect the team dynamics too much.

Ren stopped leaning on the speaker tower and went to join his teammates. Heck, today wasn't that bad, all things considered. All it took was a payment of pancakes. That wasn't that bad of a price.

So, Team JNPR united to finish their work.

* * *

><p>Overall, Task Force Musical got a lot done that Thursday. Sure, some dignity was lost by some people (Yang especially), but what they gained more than certainly made up for it. Weiss had gotten her confidence back, the snack bar people were ready to serve the show audience, and the stage had it's audio equipment and movement markers completely set up. Things were looking even better than before. The work couldn't fail now… probably.<p>

Hopefully, Task Force Musical wouldn't trip over their shoelaces right in front of the finish line. They were so close, it would be such a shame to fail now. But, in the background, the universe watched them, scheming.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay readers, that's it for today! Now, I hope that you caught the Gurren Lagann reference (it was pretty obvious)! Anyway, stay tuned for more, coming up later! And be sure to leave me a kind message in the reviews! This is The Draigg, signing off.<strong>


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Penultimate Day

**Hey! Listen! It's The Draigg! I order to equip the bottle, go to the menu and press—wait, wrong intro there. Well, I know you reader have been holding out on a music show for a while now. Good news! We're right on the cusp of it! But, before you can sink your teeth into this chapter, you should know that I don't own RWBY. Now, Chapter 41, LAUNCH!**

* * *

><p>A bright sun rose over Beacon academy that Friday morning. However, Team RWBY wasn't in the mood that morning to appreciate nature. Well, not that there was anything bad about nature (other than the creatures of darkness that nearly drove humanity to extinction). It was just that they were too focused on their work at the stage.<p>

All of Team RWBY had decided the night before to wake up early, as to finalize the stage preparations. Sure, they trusted Team JNPR's work, but they just wanted to make sure everything was fine. So, they were currently huddling together near the audio control table.

"So… does everything look good here?", Yang asked, looking over the various switches and dials. She would say that they all looked Greek to her, if Yang had actually seen Greek before, or knew what it was to begin with.

Her question didn't get much of an answer. Weiss, Ruby, and Blake looked at the soundboard with the same confusion as Yang. Any of them could tell you how to build and maintain dust-based firearms, but they couldn't tell you how to work thousand-lien audio equipment.

"I'm inclined to say yes.", Weiss decided after some thought. All those switches looked like they were in the right positions. They probably should have gotten Yang to ask for the instruction manual when she picked up this equipment.

Ruby scratched her chin while looking at the array of lights. "_Let's see…_", she thought, "_Those lights are green. Green means go on streetlights. So, if these lights on here are green, then that means everything's good to go!_". Well… at least Ruby's train of thought was somewhat on the right track. Or, at least in the right rail yard.

"I agree with Weiss.", concluded Ruby. Those lights were nice. They were all bright and friendly, blinking on and off.

Nodding at Team White Rose's answers, Yang then turned her attention to Blake. "Whatcha think, Blakey?", she asked.

Blake froze as she tried to think of an opinion. To be honest, she wasn't paying much attention to the soundboard. Sure, she was looking at it, but her mind was miles away. What she was thinking of actually was how Yang would look like in her costume tomorrow.

Thinking quickly, Blake just decided to go with the answers of the other girls. "It's all fine to me.", she replied to Yang.

"Okay, I guess we're good then.", Yang concluded. Great, that was an important issue out of the way.

Team RWBY shifted and stood in place. What were they supposed to do now, anyway? They had gotten up early for just this reason, but now they had no idea what of inspect next.

"Umm… the rafters look nice.", Ruby observed, looking up at the overhead light riggings.

"Yeah… very… rafter-y.", Yang said, agreeing with her sister.

Another weird silence fell over the group.

"Should we just go?", Weiss asked. They had nothing to do, it was a little cold out, and she was hungry. Weiss wanted to go to the cafeteria. At least it was warm and full of food. Now that she thought about it, combat skirts weren't a good idea for colder temperatures.

"Yeah…", Blake said, looking around the stage. Nothing really seemed out of place, really. In fact, they probably could have done this later today. There wasn't a real need to get up this early.

"Okay, executive decision time!", Ruby announced, pointing her finger in the air. "If you want to go eat breakfast, raise your hand!". Everyone (including Ruby) raised their arms in the air.

"Good! I'm hungry, too!", cheered Ruby, pleased with the voting. But seriously, if she didn't get any sugar or caffeine in her system soon, she was going to flip the hell out. She NEEDED that sweet, sweet nectar flowing in her veins every morning.

"Banzai!", Blake and Yang cried, pumping their fists in the air. They had gotten the idea for that salute from some anime the two of them liked. It was a cute thing they shared. It was one of the little things that made Blake and Yang seem more like a typical couple.

Weiss raised an eyebrow at the bee colored duo. Sighing she hopped off the stage and started to walk towards the cafeteria. One thing she had in common with Ruby was a desperate need for caffeine in the morning. And, she wouldn't let any hijinks stand between her and her coffee.

Team RBY followed suit and also leapt off the stage. Man, they needed breakfast today. Maybe a nice meal would be good for getting them mentally prepared for the show happening tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Breakfast, for the most part, was an uneventful affair in the lives of many of Beacon students. Much more interesting things happened around lunch and dinner. So, if normal breakfast was boring, early breakfast was about as dull as a knife made of rubber.<p>

On the plus side, at least all the good food was available. Ruby was scarfing down her third bowl of marshmallow cereal, Blake was munching on her scones and reading an e-book on her scroll, Yang was popping hard-boiled eggs in her mouth at a quick pace, and Weiss was on her third cup of fresh coffee. Her plate of blueberry muffins was completely untouched. Coffee ALWAYS came first.

"Sho…", Ruby said, her mouth full of milk and cereal, "Yhu guish fheel rheddy?".

Weiss, not looking up from her mug, said, "Swallow before you speak.".

Ruby swallowed quickly. The lump of soggy cereal stopped part of the way down her throat, so she thumped her chest to get it all the way down.

"So, do you guys feel ready for tomorrow?", Ruby asked again, much clearer this time around.

"Well, we're as prepared as we could get.", Blake pointed out, still scanning over her book.

Yang stopped stuffing eggs in her mouth briefly to agree with Blake. "Yeah, I think we're good to go.", she said.

"Well…", Ruby mumbled, now looking serious. "I just wanna say that I love you guys. I mean, without you, I couldn't live out a dream of mine.". Ruby's eyes softened as she looked at her team. All of them were beautiful to her. They were beautiful because their kindness, their spirits, allowed a small girl's dream come true.

"I love all of you so much..", Ruby said again, now starting to choke up.

Team WBY sat there, touched by Ruby's actions. Ruby had always worn her heart on her sleeve, so she was fond of expressing her feeling completely honestly. She was really the team's collective heart. So, whenever she felt overwhelming emotions, her teammates often soon followed suit.

"D-don't cry, dolt…", Weiss said, looking like she was also feeling the same as Ruby. Sliding over to Ruby, she looped one of her arms around Ruby for a sideways hug.

"Aww… geez, sis, it was nothing. I would do anything for ya, you know that.", Yang said, giving a small smile to Ruby.

Blake also smiled at Ruby. In the time they had gotten to know each other, she had grown to consider Ruby like a little sister. It helped that she had Yang to help that grow that feeling more.

"I know that with you guys by my side, we can do this!", Ruby declared proudly through her small tears.

"Yeah!", cheered yang, extending out her fist for a group bump. Without a moment's hesitation, Weiss, Blake, and Ruby, answered her gesture. They were more than a team. They were a kind of family now. And, as anyone can attest, families always stayed with you, regardless of who it's members were.

* * *

><p>Moving forward, the day continued as if nothing was looming over the horizon of time. The day passed by. Professors delivered lectures, students slept in class, the sun shone, birds sang, and creatures of Grimm freely fed on small, defenseless animals in the woods.<p>

So, pretty normal stuff, all things considered.

That's what was weirding out Team RWBY so much. They were hanging around the snack bar after classes, as if this was a regular day. Why was everything so calm? They were on the cusp of putting on a massive project for the first time! They should be in an uproar! They should be flipping out and banging their heads to a fine, greasy pulp on the concrete! So, why weren't they?

Blake looked up from her ginseng tea and focused on her friends. She had a feeling that they all had the same thing running through their heads: were they just ignoring the upcoming day, or did they collectively just reach a Zen type state?

"Does this feel weird to anybody?", Blake finally asked. Her teammate's answers immediately overlapped each other.

"Finally!", Yang exclaimed, glad somebody else noticed the collective mood.

"Yeah!", cried Ruby, who was incredibly creeped out by her friends levels of calmness.

"Of course!", Weiss huffed, annoyed that nobody brought up this awkward mood earlier.

Blake sighed in relief. "Oh, that's good. Wow, doesn't this just feel… odd?", she asked rhetorically.

"You know, I kind of expected Ice Princess here to flip out by now.", Yang noted to the group. Weiss would have protested, but yet again she also thought that a breakdown should have happened to somebody by now. So, she held her tongue.

"Is this normal? Or even real life?", Ruby asked, staring at her hand. She looked as if she expected her hand to turn into a tentacle any moment now. Ruby seemed genuinely convinced that this feeling was wrong and weird.

Yang, in response to Ruby's question, flicked her on the arm. "Ow! Geez, Yang!", Ruby complained while rubbing her arm.

"Well, doesn't that answer your question?', Yang justified herself. Ruby visibly considered what she did, but then nodded, agreeing with her sister. Okay, so this wasn't a dream or anything like that. It was comforting to know that Yang just wouldn't melt into pudding at a moment's notice again. No, Ruby didn't know why that was a re-occurring dream, either.

"I think it's like…', pondered Weiss aloud, "When you're so far gone past the edge, everything normal past that point seems odd.". As soon as they heard Weiss' idea, the rest of team RWBY wanted to smack their foreheads. Why hadn't they thought of that earlier?

It made complete sense that given all the crap they've gone through the past month or so, that a moment of respite seemed alien and unusual. Given the surprise inspections, hospital visits, budding romances, and pajama related stealth missions, their lives sure as hell had gotten complicated recently. They had just grown used to their lives being frustrating and/or absolutely outside of the box.

If the universe was a person, it would be smiling and clapping it's hands in joy at what it had done to them. Man, this whole adventure was bizarre. And that's how the universe liked it.

"I wonder how everyone else feels right about now?", Yang thought out loud. Surely, they were going through something similar to them right about now.

* * *

><p>"No, Nora. This is my last warning.", Ren warned, glowering at Nora. He knew he should have burned that damned tree costume when he had the chance.<p>

"Nuh-uh! I wanna wear it!", Nora shot back, curling herself around the costume to defend it from Ren's wrath.

"Why? There's absolutely no need to!", Ren protested. Seriously, why was she so attached to that cheap, cardboard costume so much?

Ren looked around his dorm room to see if he could bring anyone into this argument. Surely, an outside opinion would bring an end to this madness. However, Ren then remembered that Jaune and Pyrrha were out today, doing some more 'training'. Of al the times Ren needed them, too.

"I made this costume, by gosh I'm gonna wear it!", Nora declared. She then tried to squeeze herself in it, but got stuck halfway through. Only her arms were visible, through the face hole. Nora tried moving around, but instead kept on bumping into the desk and beds.

"Uhh, Ren?", Nora asked, her voice a little muffled by the cardboard tree. "Can I have some help here?".

Ren sighed in annoyance, and then shoved the costume down over Nora. "There, are you happy now?", he asked, exasperated.

"Uh-huh!", Nora answered with a big smile. She pranced around the room, happy to finally wear her tree costume.

In defeat, Ren flopped down on his bed. Now that he thought about it, how was Nora going to get out of that thing? And, more importantly, how was she going to go to the bathroom? Oh well, she should have thought of that before she put it on. All Ren could hope for was that she wouldn't smell too bad.

* * *

><p>Velvet was going through her private collection of candid photos in her office that evening. Man, that was a nice shot of the one hunk from the third floor dormitories! She could see his pecks through his shirt! Oh, but this picture of that one tiger Faunus girl at the pool was even better! Velvet was feeling proud of herself that she managed to get away with taking these photos.<p>

Velvet was completely unconcerned that the show was tomorrow. She was so focused on her day (and those photos), that any panic or anxiety was completely forgotten.

Looking to see if the door was closed and locked, Velvet propped her scroll up, the photos facing her. She figured she was ready for some more 'private time'.

* * *

><p>"Bah, I'm pretty sure they're fine.", Ruby said, waving away the thought.<p>

"If anything, our friends are more prepared than us.", Weiss added. The others nodded in agreement .It was a comforting idea to know that other people could keep a cool head, even when a flood of pressure and excitement was about to crest overhead.

So, with their fears exorcised, Team RWBY decided to finish their drinks in silence. They could afford to feel relaxed. Given all the hard work and stress they've gone through, they more than certainly could use a small break.

It was nice and peaceful out, with the sun starting to dip overhead, beyond the horizon. There were a few dark clouds in the distance, but it was nothing to worry about. It wouldn't storm during the show. Everything would be a smooth ride from here.

However, much like a hurricane, the eye of the storm was always the calmest part.

* * *

><p><strong>Are you ready for this? I bet you are! Get ready for that hot, steamy, music-y, performance, coming up soon! Be sure to tell me how hyped you guys are in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off to board that hype train, baby!<strong>


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Curtain Call

**Choo choo! It's your conductor, The Draigg speaking! I hope all of you readers are strapped into your seats, because this hype train will activate it's thrusters any moment now! Check for any lose items, see that your seat buckle is secured, and know that I don't own RWBY or any other media I write about. Now, get hype for the music show! It begins now! GGGOOOOOOOOOOO!**

* * *

><p>The majority of students all over Remnant really revered Saturdays. It was a day of relaxation, a day where you could shrug off the responsibilities of the week and be happy with your life. Task Force Musical, however, didn't get the luxury to do any of that.<p>

The work group was currently gathered around the soundboard, just off stage. Since Ruby had just arrived with drinks for everyone, their nerves were slightly softened. Yang proceeded to chug her energy drink, while the others sipped on their coffees.

Ruby took this time to try and inspire her friends. After all, as the head of this project, it felt like her duty. So, she moved in front of the group and propped one of her legs on a folding chair, and started with:

"Friends! My brothers and sisters in arms I'm so glad you're here to help me in this journey!".

"No prob, sis.", Yang said, toasting her with her energy drink can.

"Wait, wait.", Ruby said, shushing her sister. "Now, I know that we've had a long hard, journey, you guys have been brave. Now, it's important that you hold the line.", Ruby said, her chest puffed out.

"That's from a video game.", Ren pointed out. Ruby's chest deflated, since she was hoping they wouldn't notice that.

"Fear is a choice?", Ruby tried.

"Now that's from a movie. Bad one, at that.", Yang noted.

"These are the truths of this world?", tried Ruby again.

"Anime.", Nora chimed in.

By now, Ruby was scraping the bottom of the barrel of speech quotes she had memorized. "Take your sorrow and turn it into anger?", she questioned.

"Another anime.", said Velvet.

"Failure isn't an option?", Ruby asked once more.

"Okay, that's from too many movies to count.", Blake said.

"We're cancelling the apocalypse?", was Ruby's final try.

"That one doesn't even apply here. Whatsoever.", Weiss added.

"What do you want from me?!", Ruby cried, at the end of her speech-giving rope.

Yang patted Ruby on the shoulder and said: "Oh, Ruby. You don't need to give any speeches. We all know how important this is, okay? Right?". The others nodded at Yang's question.

"Just believe in us. We don't need any speeches or anything like that. We're all natural bad-asses here, anyway. We can do this.", concluded Yang.

"Well, can you all just act like I said something cool? I mean, I had this all in my head and…", Ruby drifted off, realizing how weird her request sounded.

The group collectively shrugged, and then started clapping. With whoops and cheers surrounding her, Ruby felt like she was on top of the world. This was now exactly like her greatest fantasy. And it was actually happening! In real life! It felt absolutely astounding to be her, to know that she and her friends actually made the music show happen.

"LAUNCH, TASK FORCE MUSICAL!", Ruby shouted, dramatically pointing in the air. Her exclamation caused her friend's cheers to die down.

"Task Force Musical?", Ren asked, rolling his eyes slightly.

"I think it's… charming.", Pyrrha offered. She wasn't exactly sure why they needed a group name. But, whatever, it was Ruby's idea. Might as well go along with it.

"It's certainly something…", agreed Jaune while he scratched the back of his neck. He personally thought he could come up with a better name. Task Force Musical sounded pretty uncreative, compared to better group names. He should bring that up to Ruby, in case they wanted to do something similar in the future.

"I like it!", Nora exclaimed. Of course she would. She liked most things. For example, she liked that tree costume so much, she had to be forced to take it off by Ren this morning. It took a lot of elbow grease and bickering on Ren's part, but it finally got taken off.

"Look, we can discuss it later. We should focus on the show now.", Velvet suggested, bring back everyone's attention to the matter at hand.

Admittedly, Velvet had a point. The work group always managed to find a way to get sidetracked. It was usually some weird, out of the ordinary thing, too. This had been a weird month. That was a known fact by now.

Back to the subject at hand, Task Force Musical decided to hang around the stage. They still needed to prepare themselves mentally for tonight. The hour of reckoning was only a few scant hours away now. It felt much closer than that.

* * *

><p>Transitioning to a few hours later, Team RWBY was hanging around the snack bar bathroom. They were supposed to get dressed in their costumes, in order to save time later. However, Yang was sure as hell taking her time.<p>

Blake, now starting to get annoyed at how long it was taking her, knocked on the bathroom door. It only took her five minutes to get changed. What was taking Yang so long?

"Are you done yet?", she asked.

Behind the door, Yang's muffled voice replied, "No! It's… umm… ill-fitting.".

Blake could tell that Yang was lying. However, before she could say something, Weiss shoved her aside and started to yell at the door.

"If you don't come out, I'll knock down this door!", she threatened.

When Yang didn't reply, Weiss started to kick the door.

"Hey!", Cedric the cashier yelled at them from behind the counter. "If you break that, you're paying for it!".

"Oh, I have plenty of money!", Weiss yelled back.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming out.", Yang cried as she caved into her friend's demands. She opened the (now slightly dented) bathroom door and walked out.

There was a good reason that Yang didn't want to come out. It wasn't that the costume didn't fit, it fit surprisingly well, actually. But, given her girlfriend's number of fetishes, she knew that the costume would appeal to a lot of them at the same time. Unfortunately for her, she was proven correct.

Blake froze in place when she saw Yang in her costume. The high stockings! The low cut top! The frilly, short skirt! This was all too much for her. A trickle of blood escaped her nose, in addition to the river of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth.

"Uhh, Blake ? Are you alright?", Ruby asked, waving her hand in front of Blake's face.

"S-s-sugoi…", Blake managed to moan out.

Then, wordlessly, Blake took out her scroll and snapped a picture of Yang in her costume. Then, shoving Weiss out of the way, she marched over to the bathroom. Yang stepped out of the way before the door could close on her.

"Err… I was supposed to go next.", Weiss noted.

Yang palmed her forehead and sighed, "Of course this would happen.".

Weiss and Ruby were both about to say something, but they were interrupted by strange noises coming out of the bathroom. To them, it sounded like a cat meowing and fighting at the same time. It was abundantly clear what Blake was doing in there. A blush crossed all of Team RWY's faces, for a variety of different reasons.

A surprisingly short time later, Blake came out of the bathroom, looking completely disheveled. Her hair was messed up, and her bow was starting to come undone. She also didn't notice that the zipper of her pants was still most of the way down.

"All *huff*… yours *puff*", Blake managed to say between ragged breaths. She walked towards Yang, reaching out to her.

"Paws off, kitty.", Yang ordered, swatting away Blake's hands. If Blake got what she wanted, then the both of them would be out of commission into the next day.

Weiss and Ruby didn't move. They both had to change, but the both of them didn't want to use that bathroom after Blake's little hand service session.

"Y-you're up, Weiss", Ruby said as she pushed her towards the bathroom.

Weiss sidestepped her way out of Ruby's pushing, then said, "I think the honor should go to our leader.". She hoped that was a good excuse.

"No, no, a leader always puts her followers first.", Ruby deflected. She meant it in the literal way, not the metaphorical one.

Luckily for Weiss, Cedric heard what Blake was doing in the bathroom (He couldn't not hear it. The bathroom was attached to the snack bar), and walked up with a bucket and a mop. Not saying a thing, he shoved them into Blake's hands.

"Clean up your mess.", he ordered before walking back over to the counter.

Blake was too much in a daze to protest. Limping over to the bathroom, she closed the door to start mopping up her mess.

"We should just use our bathroom, right?", Weiss suggested.

"Yeah…", agreed Ruby.

So, leaving Yang behind to watch over Blake, the pair left to get changed into their costumes elsewhere.

* * *

><p>Finally, the time had arrived. Evening had fallen over Beacon. Ruby was looking out behind the curtain, trying to count the amount of audience members they had. They had gotten more attendees than everyone expected. There was at least a third of the student body there, sitting on the lawn on blankets or chairs they had brought.<p>

Ruby's heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest and flop around on the stage. Turning back to the group back stage, Ruby stared at all of them. Jaune had on a headset and was holding a clipboard, with stage directions posted on it. Velvet was also with him, handling the expected program of events.

Nora and Pyrrha were sitting near the switches controlling the lights and speakers, ready to set them on at a moment's notice. Ren was stationed next to them, at the soundboard, ready to play the music.

Finally, Blake and Yang were helping Weiss apply some last minute make up on her face. Ruby couldn't help but marvel at how everything was turning out. This was it! The promised hour had arrived!

Walking over to Weiss, Ruby placed her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "I would say good luck, but I don't think you need it.", Ruby said.

This made Weiss smirk a little. "Of course I don't", Weiss bragged, "I AM a Schnee, after all.".

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ice Princess.", Yang said, trying to apply some blush on Weiss' face.

"I meant it as a joke, Yang.", Ruby said in Weiss' defense.

"Meh. Whatever.", Yang replied, trying to focus on the matter at hand. "Ah! There.", she exclaimed as she finished.

Blake held a mirror up to Weiss' face. Weiss marveled at how pretty she looked. There was just enough makeup to make her look good, while also keeping some of her natural beauty in the forefront.

"I must say, you've outdone yourself, Yang.", complimented Weiss. Really, Yang did do a fantastic job on her face. Not that anything was wrong, of course. It just looked even better than perfect, was all.

Before Weiss' ego could be inflated further, Jaune walked over to Team RWBY. He was completely into his role of stage manager. Velvet followed after him, looking through the program.

"Guys, hate to break up your moment here, but I think we should get started soon. The audience is pretty much settled in. We can't keep them waiting.", he said to all of them.

"Yeah, I think we're all ready to start now.", chimed in Velvet.

Nodding to them, Ruby held out her hands wide. "Grab them, you guys.", she ordered to Team WBY. Unhesitatingly, they formed a circle and held hands. After a moment of silence, they all let go. They were ready.

Nodding at the group, Jaune then walked over to the rest of his team.

"Ready the lights.", he ordered to Pyrrha and Nora. Turning to Ren, he then said, "Turn on all the speakers.". Team NPR got to work, following Jaune's orders.

"Okay, people!", Velvet announced to everyone. "We've got a show now! Let's break a leg!". Nora grinned to Ren at that suggestion. Ren sighed and said, "Not literally.". Pouting, Nora turned back to the lighting controls.

Ruby walked Weiss over to the curtains, ready to show her out to the front of the stage.

Weiss took a deep breath and looked over at Ruby. Ruby offered a reassuring smile in return.

"Don't worry,", advised Ruby, "We're here for you.". She then placed a quick kiss on Weiss' lips.

Blushing Weiss said back, "I love you.". Then, hardening her courage in her bones, Weiss then swore to herself, "I'm ready.".

Nodding, Ruby pulled back the curtain. Weiss took a step forward, leaving the safety of the curtain. The audience erupted in applause, ready to start the show.

As for Weiss, she was ready to face the music.

* * *

><p><strong>WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I hope you're ready for this! We're cranking up the speed on this hype train! The ride doesn't stop here! Before you pass out from the excessive hyper-force, leave me something in the reviews section! And, for a fun game, name the works that Ruby tried to rip-off in her speech! This is your conductor, The Draigg, signing off to control all this hype! YEAHHHHHHHHH!<strong>


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The First Act

**Yoooo! It's the hype conductor, The Draigg here! Ready for a song! I wager that you are! Now, if I don't mention the legal stuff about songs and shows, I'll get sued. The law is a cruel mistress that way. Anyway, I don't own RWBY, or any song that I put in here. Now, let's face the music, and get to reading this story!**

* * *

><p>Weiss was nearly blinded by the stage lights as she stepped out onto the front of the stage. The reaction of the crowd was mixed. Most of them were a little wary of the show, since the last performance they went to was the PSA. That show scarred most of the student in some way or another. But, on the other hand, the crowd cheered a little. It WAS a concert, after all. It would be weird if they didn't cheer and clap.<p>

"_Wow. I'm really doing this._", she couldn't help but think. It was astounding to her that she was going to share her hidden talent to Beacon. If it wasn't for Ruby, then she would have still hidden this part of her. Weis would have to thank Ruby later for that.

Flipping on her microphone, she said into it, "Hello, Beacon!". The crowd roared back in response. Ruby had to coach Weiss how to pump up the crowd when she practiced the other day. So far, she wasn't doing that bad of a job. The crowd was certainly ready for a song.

"Are you ready for a show? Let me hear you!", she cried, holding out the microphone out to the audience.

The crowd sounded a large, "YEAH!", in response. This crowd was being surprisingly good. Nobody could escape the infectious mood of a concert.

"Okay, let's do this! Hit it, you guys!", she shouted into the microphone. Hearing Weiss' voice, Ren started to play the first song on the list. Even he could feel a small spark in his heart as it began to play. There was an inkling of pride deep in his mind that he was doing something awesome.

Weiss tapped her foot to the beat of the song, and then raised the microphone up to her lips. She then started to sing.

_"__Waited for your call, for the moon/To release me from the longest afternoon  
>I've re-arranged parts of my living roomBut time is hard to kill since I met you"_

_"Looking at the cars that drive on by/While spring is making promise outside  
>Red cars are quite rare I realizeThen I wonder which color you like"_

_"Seven little numbers baby, they could be a start  
>Seven little numbers baby, I know yours by heart"<em>

Weiss twirled around on stage, a small pep in her step. She felt so alive there on stage, singing.

_"__Woo-oh, oh-oh, all the pretty things that we could be/Woo-oh, oh-oh, I feel you in every heart beat  
>Woo-oh, oh-oh, were you ever in a dream that could come trueThese numbers could be lucky for you"_

_"Watch the sky change to a darkened blue/I can't think of another thing to do  
>And every song just makes me think of youBecause the singers sounds as if she was longing,  
>As if she was longing, too"<em>

The audience clapped to the rhythm of the song, while Weiss tapped her foot in a metronome.

_"__Seven little numbers baby, they could be a start/Seven little numbers baby, I know yours by heart  
>Seven little numbers baby, they could make a changeSeven little numbers baby, make a fire out of this flame"_

_"Woo-oh, oh-oh, all the pretty things that we could be/Woo-oh, oh-oh, I feel you in every heart beat  
>Woo-oh, oh-oh, were you ever in a dream that could come trueThese numbers could be lucky for you"_

_"I read your name on every wall, on every wall, tell me/Is there a cure for me at all, for me at all, tell me  
>I read your name on every wall, on every wall, tell meIs there a cure for me at all, for me at all"_

_"Woo-oh, oh-oh, all the pretty things that we could be  
>Woo-oh, oh-oh, I feel you in every heart beat<br>Woo-oh, oh-oh, were you ever in a dream that could come true  
>These numbers could be lucky for you"<em>

The microphone was pointed out to the audience, as Weiss wanted them to participate as well. Since they were fully in the mood, they filled in the words themselves, along with Weiss.__

_"Woo-oh, oh-oh/Woo-oh, oh-oh  
>Woo-oh, oh-ohThese numbers could be lucky  
>These numbers could be lucky for you"<em>

As the song finished, Weiss walked along the edge of the stage, encouraging the audience to cheer. Their sheet glee showed as their cheers grew louder.

"Woo!", Weiss cheered into the microphone. She was starting to feel the love of the audience. So, Weiss decided to express her own joy along with them.

"I'm glad you all came out here tonight! I'm Weiss Schnee, and I'm so honored to be singing for you tonight!", she said to the crowd. In response, the crowd clapped for her.

Weiss bowed to them, and then said, "Come on, we're going to get all of Beacon to sing with us! Can you do that for me?".

Once again, the roars of the crowd sounded in a collective "YEAH!".

* * *

><p>Backstage, while Weiss was talking to the audience, Ruby couldn't help but be impressed by her stage attitude. It was if she was born to do this. Weiss was a real natural, unlike her.<p>

"Wow! She's doing really good!", Nora commented. Pyrrha and Ren nodded in agreement. Weiss was a good entertainer.

Velvet and Juane were absolutely in their Zen zone, so, they instead focused on the stge, rather than the person on it.

"Okay, we're done with 'Little Numbers'. Up next is 'Call Me'.", Velvet said to Jaune, relaying what the program outlined.

"You hear that? Ready the lights and music.", Jaune ordered to his team. Pyrrha lowered the lights. This song was meant to be a little lower key and personal. The dim lighting would do the mood some good.

Ren selected the song on the soundboard and set it to play.

* * *

><p>Back on stage, Weiss was still talking to the audience. She was buying time for the guys backstage to get the song to start playing. Luckily, she had no problem dealing with the audience. It surprised her how natural it felt, even though this was her first time doing this.<p>

"Okay, ready for another one? Call your friends! They'll love this!", she exclaimed into the microphone.

As the lights dimmed, she knew that the next song was going to play. She actually liked 'Call Me'. It resonated to her on a personal level, somehow. So, she settled in as the lights dimmed further, and the audio track kicked in.

Weiss began to sing:

_"__I close my eyes and I keep seeing things  
>Rainbow waterfallssunny liquid dream"_

_"Confusion creeps inside me raining doubt  
>Gotta get to youBut I don't know how"_

_"Call me, Call me/Let me know it's alright  
>Call me, call meDon't you think it's 'bout time  
>Please won't you call and"<em>

Weiss paused slightly, as to add emphasis to the next word.__

_"Ease my mind"_

_"Reasons for me to find you/Peace of mind  
>What can I doto get me to you"_

_"I had your number quite some time ago  
>Back when we were oneBut I had to grow"_

The crowd was quieter as she sang. Since this was a slower song, some of the audience members started to sway to Weiss' singing.__

_"Ten thousand years I've searched it seems and now  
>Gotta get to youWon't you tell me how"_

_"Call me, Call me/Let me know you are there  
>Call me, call meI wanna know you still care  
>Come on now won't you"<em>

Weiss paused longer this time, so she could belt out the next lines even louder.__

_"Ease my mind"_

_"Ease my mind/Reasons for me to find you  
>Peace of mindReasons for living my life  
>Ease my mindReasons for me to know you  
>Peace of mindwhat can I do  
>to get me to you"<em>

As Weiss dropped the microphone from her lips, the crowd erupted into cheers and claps. Weiss beamed from all the praise she was getting. It was nice to know that her talent was something to be proud of, not something to hide away from the world, like her family had taught her to do.

"Wow!", she said to the crowd, "You guys are great so far! I love all this energy you have! Let's keep it up!".

As the crowed cried out in mirth, Weiss then called out, "Do you guys have your noise saved up? I do! But, I need some help on this. Come on out, Ruby!".

What the plan was is to have a duet around here. However, Ruby sure was taking her time getting out on stage. Weiss thought she would be chomping at the bit to get out there. What was taking her so long? She had to buy some time for her to come out. So, she started to ad lib with the audience.

* * *

><p>Ruby felt paralyzed in place. Her breathing grew rapid, and her sweaty hands clenched and un-clenched. Why were her nerves failing her now? Maybe she was afraid that she would fail, now that the show had started.<p>

"What's she doing?", Jaune barked, "Get her out there!".

Yang took her sisters hands onto her own, and started to rub them in small circles.

"Shh, shh, it's fine, Ruby", Yang comforted. "Weiss is out there, waiting for you. Just show her your love through song!", she then suggested.

"I-I-I can't believe it…', Ruby stuttered, staring off into space. The full weight of the show was starting to crash down on her. After all those weeks of getting ready for this, the full notion of what was happening occurred to her.

"I don't think she's in any state to sing.", Blake observed. That was certainly true. If she couldn't even talk without stuttering, then she couldn't sing. But, Weiss already called her out there. Jaune paced around them in a state of worry. They needed to think of something. QUICK.

"Well…", Velvet thought aloud next to Jaune. "We COULD just move onto the next song.".

"But, she just can't not go on stage! We need her out there!", Jaune protested.

"What if she just plays an instrument up there?", Velvet asked him. Jaune's eyes widened in response. That was a good idea! That way, they could save face, and still have Ruby out there.

Yang nodded at the idea. It made sense to her. Turning back to Ruby, she asked, "Think you can go out there? You don't have to sing.". Ruby weakly nodded in response. Yang let go of her hands.

Shoving a tambourine in her empty arms, Velvet urged Ruby on. "Go out there. You can do it.", she said.

* * *

><p>Ruby took a tentative step out of the backstage, and walked up to Weiss. She had just finished telling the audience how much work they put into this show.<p>

Noticing Ruby by her side, she announced, "And here she is! Our Ruby Rose!". The crowd erupted into cheers at her name. They heard all the blood, sweat, and tears she put into this show.

Holding the mic away from her, Weiss whispered to Ruby. "What are you doing?".

"T-the next s-song.", Ruby whispered back. Weiss looked at her confused. They were skipping the duet? Sure, Weiss could roll with that. It was just odd to her that they were going to skip a song like that. But, looking into Ruby's eyes, she saw the reason why. They looked bloodshot, darting all around her. Her nerves were fraying.

Nodding, Weiss turned her attention back to the crowd. "Let's all give Ruby some of our spirit! Come on!", she yelled into the mic.

The crowd grew louder, as their support for Ruby grew by the second. Weiss hoped that this would boost Ruby's confidence. It looked like her plan worked slightly, as she saw the corners of ruby's curl into the tiniest of smiles.

"Louder! Louder!", Weiss urged the audience. They obeyed her every word. By now whistles were being thrown into the mix as well.

That got Ruby to settle next tot Weiss, now a little more confident. These people loved her. They loved what she had done. She couldn't let them down. It was as if Beacon was becoming part of her family as well.

Ruby snatched the microphone from Weiss and said to the audience, "Awesome! You're all AWESOME!". The sounds from the crowd pounded at her ears. It was a sound of the greatest compliments.

"I'm so glad you could do this with us! Now, let's start!", Ruby cried, before handing the mic back to Weiss.

Taking the mic back, Weiss said, "You heard her! Let's do this!".

The lights flashed around the stage, as if the sun itself danced around the field the show was in. Ruby couldn't help but feel floored by what she was experiencing. This was everything she could have ever wanted. Here, in this moment, was the finale of her hard work.

As the audio track of the next song started to play, she could feel her body react to the instruments she was hearing. She could tell that Weiss was feeling the same feeling, since she looked as if she could walk on water.

Truly, the show had really started here.

* * *

><p><strong>Kept you waiting, huh? Well, the wait is finally over! The first chapter of the actual show is now over! I would like to give credit to the band Boy to the song 'Little Numbers', and to Yoko Kanno for 'Call Me'. Listen to them, they're great songs! Also, shout out to my editor, JimboYokimbo! He really help me! And be sure to tell me what you think of the show so far in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off to work on the next act!<strong>


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Another Act, More Action

**Heya, friends! It's the conductor of the hype train here, The Draigg! Now, since the musical is in full swing now, I'll keep this intro brief. I don't own RWBY, or any songs I put in here. Now, let's ROLL OUT!**

* * *

><p>Ruby stood on the brightly lit stage with Weiss. The crowd was calling for another song. It was only fair to give them what they wanted. But, Ruby was still feeling a little nervous, even though Weiss helped to get the audience to boost her confidence a little. Her palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms were heavy.<p>

But, she couldn't give up here. Her fear was being replaced by confidence. For Weiss, for everyone, she had to do well up here, even if she didn't sing. Raising the tambourine she was handed before she walked out in stage, Ruby prepared herself.

Weiss noticed the determined fire in Ruby's silver eyes. She gave the briefest of nods to her, and then turned to the audience.

"You ready?", Weiss asked the audience. "Let's do it!".

The stage lights lit up in many colors and danced across the audience. Since this song sounded a bit more peppy and upbeat, it helped to get the crowd into the right mood.

_And the hardest part/Was letting go, not taking part  
>Was the hardest part<em>

_And the strangest thing/Was waiting for that bell to ring  
>It was the strangest start<em>

Ruby was grooving in tune to the song, banging on her tambourine lightly in the process. She was starting to feel the beat now.__

_I could feel it go down/Bittersweet I could taste in my mouth  
>Silver lining the cloud Oh and I  
>I wish that I could work it out<em>

_And the hardest part/Was letting go, not taking part  
>You really broke my heart<em>

_And I tried to sing /But I couldn't think of anything  
>And that was the hardest part<em>

_I could feel it go down/You left the sweetest taste in my mouth  
>You're silver lining the clouds<br>Oh and I/Oh and I  
>I wonder what it's all aboutI wonder what it's all about_

In the instrumental section, Weiss grabbed Ruby's hand, and spun her around in circles. Both of them were circling around each other, before Weiss stopped to finish the sing.__

_Everything I know is wrong/Everything I do, it's just comes undone  
>And everything is torn apart<em>

_Oh and it's the part/That's the hardest part  
>Yeah that's the hardest partThat's the hardest part_

As the piano in the song faded away, the crowd replaced the empty air with cheers. That was a pretty good song! Plus, it was nice to see more than just one person up there. It would get pretty boring quickly, otherwise.

While Weiss was bowing at the end of her song, Ruby snatched the microphone from her hand.

"Thank you all! Really, I mean it!", she said, before curtseying with her dress. The crowd cheered in response.

"I mean, this has always been a dream of mine to do, Ever since…", Ruby continue to talk.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, while Ruby was rambling on to the audience about how cool and special they were, there was a large gathering of students and some staff around the snack bar.<p>

Cedric the cashier was having a hard time keeping up with all the demands of the customers in line. He only had his brother, Rickert, to help him. However, he was too busy working behind him, cooking all the burgers and hot dogs people had ordered.

"We need three burgers and two hot dogs!", Cedric announced to his brother, sliding him the order ticket.

"Damn it, I'm working on the latest order!", complained Rickert. Sure, he would get a cut of the profits made, since he was helping, but this was starting to get to be too much. How many people were at this show, anyway?

Cedric cringed at the thought of delaying that order. If the food wasn't cooked soon, then the line would back up even further than it was now. There were at least nine people waiting by the side, waiting for their orders.

Turning his attention back to the register, Cedric eyed his next customer. It was some tall looking douchebag with some grey armor on. He had burnt-orange colored hair, and a shit-eating grin to boot.

"Can I help you?", Cedric asked, most of the energy sapped from his voice.

"Hey, friend. I need a boat-load of pudding. Preferably, all you have.", the customer said, smirking.

"Look, if you could stoop joking, I have real costumers to attend to.", replied a deadpan Cedric. He didn't have time to deal with stupid stuff. He had to at least serve most of these costumers before the next song started.

Something sounded off in the direction of the concert. Cedric cocked his head to the side, facing the stage. He heard another song starting in the distance. "_Damn it! Oh well, I'll still get what I can._", Cedric thought.

Turning back to the register, the customer was still standing there, a bawdy smile on his face.

"Didn't I tell you to go? Beat it!", Cedric asked, now feeling annoyed at this customer. He had a whole line of people to serve, and this shithead was holding up the line!

"I'm still interested in the pudding.", the customer said, sliding a stack of lien onto the counter.

Cedric couldn't pass up the money on the counter. Picking up the bundle of cash, he counted it three times over. No, his eyes weren't tricking him. There was at least two-hundred lien here.

"All this for some pudding?", Cedric asked, now feeling a little curious. Who needed a lot of pudding, anyway?

"Right. As much as I can get with that.", the customer said, nodding.

Cedric turned around and asked Rickert, "What do you think, Rick?".

Rickert made a dismissive gesture with his hand while he worked. "Doesn't matter to me. His money's all good here.".

Cedric shrugged and said to the customer, "Hold up, let me get the pudding you can afford with this.".

Walking over to the storage closet, Cedric couldn't help but wonder why this customer specifically requested that much pudding. Surely, anyone who bought that much would get sick before they finished it all. Or, maybe he had a bunch of friends who liked pudding, and they all pitched in to buy a lot.

Whatever, it didn't matter to Cedric. As long as that guy paid with legit lien, he could bathe in the stuff, for all he cared. Grabbing a large box of pudding cups, Cedric hefted it over to where the customer was waiting.

"Anything else you wanted to buy, mister moneybags?", Cedric snarked at the customer. He placed the pudding box on the counter and slid it over to the waiting buyer. The customer's eye twitched a little at the snide remark, but he let it slide.

"No, that'll be all.", the customer said, grabbing the box. He then abruptly left, disappearing around the corner of the snack bar.

Cedric looked a little baffled at the customer. That student certainly was an odd one. Oh well, he couldn't dwell on it too much. He had more customers to serve.

As time went by, another song played, and the line began to grow a little thinner. The next real customer of note was one of the staff. Specifically, one Professor Peter Port.

"How can I help you, sir?", asked Cedric, trying to sound a little proper around the professor.

"Dear boy!", Professor Port proclaimed, boisterous as ever, "Would you perhaps have some funnel cake for purchase?".

"N-no sir, we don't", Cedric replied, scratching his dark green hair. It was getting pretty long by now. He should get a haircut soon.

"Oh, well then! How about a Boarbatusk flank?", the professor asked.

"No, we don't have that, either.", said Cedric.

"How about the meat of a Roc then? Or, what about a leg of mutton?", Professor Port pressed further.

"Professor, sir, we just have burgers, hot dogs, junk food, and ice cream here. We don't have any of what you're asking for.", clarified Rickert from behind Cedric. Well, that certainly saved Cedric the trouble.

"Lads, please. How can such a fine establishment such as this not have what I request?", questioned Professor Port. Clearly, he had very 'refined' tastes.

"Well, sir, we serve mostly students, so… yeah…", was Cedric's excuse.

"Is there any possible thing you can offer me then?", asked Professor Port, his bushy eyebrows moving up and down in frustration.

"Umm… we have soft pretzels.", Cedric offered, gesturing to the hot box where they were kept warm.

"Very well!", claimed Port. "I'll take three!".

As Cedric took three pretzels from the hot box, he said, "That'll be ten lien.". Professor Port dropped a dog-eared ten lien card on the counter in response.

"Thanks for your business, sir.", Cedric complimented as he handed over the pretzels.

"No, thank you, my boy.", Professor Port said with a barely visible wink, before he walked away from the cash register. He began to scarf down the pretzels in the distance like how a Nevermore feasted upon an unprotected herd of cows.

"You're such a suck up.", Rickert commented from behind Cedric.

Cedric shot back, "This, coming from the head of the Music Club.".

"Touché.", replied Rickert, before refocusing on cooking the food on the grill. It was true, Rickert practically had to beg for funding many times before to afford maintenance for the club's instruments.

Cedric and Rickert settled in for the long haul. There was a never-ending stream of customers and the show had only started recently. This was going to be a long night for the both of them.

* * *

><p>Cardin was chuckling to himself in the remains of the hedge maze. Since most of the people out tonight were at the concert, nobody would think anyone would be out here.<p>

He was busy dumping the multiple pudding cups he had bought earlier into a large buck. If he pulled off this prank, then it would be his magnum opus. He would be embarrassing so many people at the same time, he felt like this was the culmination of his work.

He giggled like a schoolgirl at the thought of his prank. To douse the performers on stage with pudding? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

It, at this point, should be pointed out that Cardin Leslie Winchester didn't have a very developed sense of humor. If pudding related pranks were the height of sadistic comedy to him, then hearing a fart might as well be hearing some live classical music.

By now, he was laughing so hard that he curled up into his stomach. However, his mirth ceased as he felt a horrible stinging pain all over his body. All of those crow-related injuries he had gotten several days ago still stung badly. "_Damn birds. They were lucky I didn't crush them into paste._", he thought

Whatever, he had bigger fish to fry. Then, once he climbed up onto the rafters and dumped the pudding mixture on the performers, then they would be eating crow. Cardin couldn't help but chuckle at his thought related pun.

It should also be noted that Cardin didn't have a very good grasp on sayings, metaphors, and idioms, either.

Hearing another song in the distance, Cardin bided his time. He would have to wait for the right moment to strike. But, he also figured it would take a while to climb up the light riggings, too. So, picking up the now pudding filled bucket, he headed over to the stage, planning to approach it from behind.

Walking out of the remains of the hedge maze, Cardin hoped that nobody would question why he was carrying a large bucket of dessert. Yet again, people were too focused on the concert to pay attention to what he was doing. So, if anything, luck was on his side.

This was one for the record books. He only wished he could get one of his idiot teammates to film it for him. Oh well, there were probably audience members filming the show right now. All he needed to do was find the footage on DustTube later.

Man, this prank was going to be GREAT.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh no! There's some trouble brewing in paradise, it seems! Stay tuned for next time, to find out what happens! Anyway, I should tell you a few things. First of all, the song in this chapter is 'The Hardest Part' by Coldplay. Secondly, I want to say thanks to my editor, JimboYokimbo, for helping to clean up this chapter. Give that man some love, he deserves it. So, this is The Draigg, signing off and rolling out!<strong>


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Rocking and Rolling

**Lo, It is I, The Draigg! I will write, and you will read. To keep my beginning notes brief, you should know that Monty Oum owns RWBY, and that I don't own any of the songs I put into this story. Now, with the legal stuff over with, let's rock out!**

* * *

><p>"Okay, everyone! We're going to take an intermission! Be sure to support your school snack bar in the meantime!", Weiss announced to the crowd. It had been a little over an hour, between talking to the audience and singing. Although her new found enthusiasm wasn't breaking, her body was starting to feel stressed. Plus, the work group needed this intermission to set up the next batch of songs and to re-calibrate the lights.<p>

So, with the crowd's cheers fading away as she walked away, Weiss entered the backstage area. Ruby followed her, since she stayed on stage with her, banging on the tambourine in rhythm to the songs she sung.

The backstage was a rushing blur of activity. Nora and Pyrrha were busy resetting lighting switches, and Ren was loading up the upcoming songs onto the soundboard from his scroll. Velvet and Jaune were hunched over the binder that had the program in it, preparing for the next part of the concert. And finally, Blake was trying to do some last minute coaching to Yang to correctly pronounce some of the words in the foreign pop song.

And so, as one could tell, this production was in full swing.

Weiss, not bothering to speak to anyone, made for the nearest chair and slumped into it. Ruby decided to sit on a nearby crate.

"So… wow.", was all Ruby had to say so far.

"I know.", Weiss agreed, slowly nodding. Even though the show wasn't over yet, the heady feeling of pride and accomplishment was already lingering in their hearts.

Jaune, looking up from the program, decided to walk over to where the pair was sitting. Taking an iced coffee and an energy drink from an ice chest Yang had brought earlier, he handed the beverages over to Weiss and Ruby.

Weiss snatched the beverage out of Jaune's hand and chugged it down in heavy gulps. Manners didn't matter to her when she had an entire other half of a music show to finish. Ruby, who had arrived on stage a little later, instead slurped her can of Abomination energy drink.

"Okay, you guys are doing great out there. Here.", Jaune said, offing the two a pair of small earpieces. Weiss and Ruby took them and put them in their respective ears.

"These'll connect you to me directly.", he explained, tapping the headset he was wearing on his head.

"Why didn't you give us these earlier?", Ruby asked between sips.

Jaune's mask of authority slipped a little as he said, "Well… in my excitement to start, I kinda, sorta, forgot to.". He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Weiss could only give a slight glare from above the coffee can currently affixed to her mouth. Well, while she couldn't exactly blame him (this show was exciting for everyone), she couldn't help but still feel a little annoyed.

Ruby, accepting what Jaune had said, simply turned on the device in her ear.

"Now, can I talk to you on this?", she asked.

"No. It doesn't have a microphone, so you'll only be able to receive stuff from my headset.", Jaune explained further.

"Oh.", Ruby replied, before tending to her drink again.

"I'll talk to you only if we have to. It wouldn't be a good time for chit-chat during the show, right?", Jaune finished explaining. Ruby nodded in agreement.

By now, Weiss had drained the rest of her coffee. Relaxing in the chair, she demanded, "Another one, please.". Complying, Jaune grabbed another one and handed it to her. Weiss took it and began to greedily drink the caffeinated beverage. She needed to fill her body with artificial energy. Weiss couldn't power her muscles with just pride and dreams.

"Good luck out there.", Jaune said, wishing them luck. With that, he then turned around and walked back over to Velvet, ready to go over the program again.

Ruby and Weiss sat in silence, watching all the action that was going on back stage. They didn't really have anything to say, really. All they wanted to do was soak in the atmosphere of the show. And for the duration of the intermission, they did just that.

* * *

><p>Roughly twenty minutes later, Weiss was ready to walk back out on stage.<p>

As she faced the curtain, she heard Jaune's voice chirp in her ear, "Hey, is thing working? Nod if it is.".

Weiss nodded, just like she was instructed.

"Good, good.", crackled Jaune's voice in her earpiece, "Now remember, Ruby isn't going to join you, since we don't have another duet on the program. But, she'll be back out for the finale. Just hold out until then.".

Weiss flashed a thumbs up gesture before she exited the backstage area.

Stepping onto the bright stage, Weiss was greeted with applause once more. From what she could see, the snack bar had racked up quite a profit. A lot of people now were eating food purchased from the snack bar. Cedric was going to make it out like a bandit after this show.

"Hey, everyone!", Weiss cried into the microphone, her enthusiastic tone crawling back out. She waved to the audience, who cheered and waved back in response.

"We're back! Did you miss me? Let me hear you!", she continued, trying to hype the crowd back up.

"WOOOOOO!", the crowd yelled in response.

"I can't hear you! Do you have any noise left? Do you have any noise?!", Weiss pressed further. She succeeded in stirring up the crowd, since they roared louder in response.

"You guys are the best! Okay, let's hit it!", Weiss said, ready to start the next song.

The lights moved around on stage, putting it in a light green light. Weiss was quite literally in the limelight right now. As she clapped above her head, pumping up the crowd, the lights faded into a bright yellow color. Weiss began to sing, keeping her voice a pitch higher than normal.

_"__Why try, I know why/This feeling inside me says it's time I was gone  
>Clear head, new life aheadIt's time I was king now not just one more pawn"_

_"Fly by night, away from here/Change my life again  
>Fly by night goodbye my dearMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"_

_"Moon rise, thoughtful eyes/Staring back at me from the window beside  
>No fright, or hindsightLeaving behind that empty feeling inside"_

_"Fly by night, away from here/Change my life again  
>Fly by night goodbye my dearMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"_

_"Fly by night, away from here/Change my life again  
>Fly by night goodbye my dearMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"_

Weiss played air guitar between verses. Sure, it was dorky, even to her, but the audience seemed to like it. It was fun, so it didn't matter how dumb it looked.__

_"Start a new chapter/I find what I'm after  
>Is changing every dayThe change of a season  
>Is enough of a reasonTo want to get away"_

_"Quiet and pensive/My thoughts apprehensive  
>The hours drift awayLeaving my homeland  
>Playing a lone handMy life begins today"_

Weiss' pitch went even higher as she sung the last two verses of the song. It was a good thing she had a lot of experience in singing, otherwise her voice would have cracked by now. Even then, she still had a hard time keeping her voice smooth.__

_"Fly by night, away from here/Change my life again  
>Fly by night goodbye my dearMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend  
>My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"<em>

_"Fly by night, away from here/Change my life again  
>Fly by night goodbye my dearMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend  
>My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretendMy ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"_

As Weiss belted the last line, the crowd erupted in cheers. There was nothing like a classic rock song to get the audience craving for more. However, before they could digest the song completely, the track of another song began.

The plan was transition from that rock song into something a bit mellower. So, the lights dimmed a little lower, and the brighter ones focused on Weiss standing still, in the center of the stage.

Tapping her foot to the melody, Weiss began to sing another song.

_"__Call you up in the middle of the night/Like a firefly without a light  
>You were there like a slow torch burningI was a key that could use a little turning"_

_"So tired that I couldn't even sleep/So many secrets I couldn't keep  
>Promised myself I wouldn't weepOne more promise I couldn't keep"_

_"It seems no one can help me now/I'm in too deep  
>There's no way outThis time I have really led myself astray"_

Since the lights weren't focused on the audience, the crowd took the opportunity to provide their own light. They were waving their brightly lit scrolls, illuminating the entire crowd in bright, slightly blue light.__

_"Runaway train never going back/Wrong way on a one way track  
>Seems like I should be getting somewhereSomehow I'm neither here nor there"_

_"Can you help me remember how to smile/Make it somehow all seem worthwhile  
>How on earth did I get so jadedLife's mystery seems so faded"_

_"I can go where no one else can go/I know what no one else knows  
>Here I am just drownin' in the rainWith a ticket for a runaway train"_

_"Everything is cut and dry/Day and night, earth and sky  
>Somehow I just don't believe it"<em>

_"Runaway train never going back/Wrong way on a one way track  
>Seems like I should be getting somewhereSomehow I'm neither here nor there"_

_"Bought a ticket for a runaway train/Like a madman laughin' at the rain  
>Little out of touch, little insaneJust easier than dealing with the pain"_

Weiss slumped down on her knees as she put more passion into her voice. She was told to do it during practice. Ruby thought it would add emphasis to her performance. Weiss thought it was hammier than Professor Port's average lunch, but it was Ruby's show, after all.__

_"Runaway train never comin' back/Wrong way on a one way track  
>Seems like I should be getting somewhereSomehow I'm neither here nor there"_

_"Runaway train never comin' back/Runaway train tearin' up the track  
>Runaway train burnin' in my veinsRunaway but it always seems the same"_

Weiss slumped forward, hamming up her acting. The idea was to make it look like her passionate singing had drained her energy. Ruby sure did like her dramatic performances, all right.

As the crowd cheered and clapped, Weiss intentionally struggled to pull herself up.

"Oh man! I'm not sure I can go on! I'm not even sure you want even more!", Weiss said into her microphone, trying to keep the good mood flowing through the audience. She held her free hand to her chest, looking as if she was wounded.

The crowd cried for her to stand tall, getting louder by the minute. Clearly, they were enjoying the cheesy acting as well. Hey, why not go with it? It was a free concert, after all.

"You want me to keep going?! I can, just for you!", Weiss said, straightening her posture. The crowd cheered as she steadied herself.

"I'll keep going! Hit it!", Weiss shouted into the mic, signaling to start the next song.

* * *

><p>Professor Ozpin was sitting in his office, looking out of his window. It was nice to have excessively large windows in his workspace. It gave him a nice view of the entire Beacon campus. So, as he was sipping from his mug, he was observing the concert happening below from his desk chair.<p>

"So, what do you think, Glynda?", he asked offhandedly.

Professor Glynda Goodwitch was also in the office, standing next to Ozpin's desk.

"It seems like the crowd is enjoying it so far.", she observed, watching the lights shine across the stage and crowd.

"I meant your opinion.", clarified Ozpin.

Professor Goodwitch paused, trying to find the right words to express her thoughts. She didn't want her opinion to sound too blunt.

She sighed, and said, "Well, if the students and staff are enjoying it, I can't protest it. But, I also think those down there could use this time to be more productive instead.".

"Hmm.", Professor Ozpin mumbled in response. His vocalization was muffled by his mug.

"And you, sir?', Professor Goodwitch asked back.

"I think it's nice for the students to enjoy themselves while they can. Remember, they can't be like this forever.", he said, in an even tone.

It was a well-known fact that Professor Ozpin considered his job as a trainer of Hunters to be a necessary evil. If only the world was a forgiving place, he wouldn't be training young souls to kill and maim in the name of civilization's survival. He carried the guilt of many pointless deaths on his shoulders. So, when he saw people managing to find enjoyment in the time they had left, he supported it to his fullest extent. Why else would the student body be able to get away with so much?

"I know, Ozpin. I know.", Professor Goodwitch replied, her mood darkening a little. It really was a burden to know what they knew. It was a sad, but necessary reality.

However, her attention was snatched away when she noticed something off about Ozpin.

"Sir, would you like a refil?", she asked, noticing that his mug was completely empty.

"Oh? It's empty?", noticed Professor Ozpin, looking into his mug. In fact, he finished off his coffee about ten minutes ago. He just hadn't noticed, since he was more focused on the action below.

Professor Ozpin held out his mug to Professor Goodwitch, saying, "If you would be so kind.".

Trying not to grumble, Professor Goodwitch took the mug and headed out of the room to refill the mug. This wouldn't be the first time this had happened. In fact, it was a pretty common occurrence whenever Ozpin was deep in thought. He must have been thinking too much about the students to pay attention to his beverage.

As Glynda left the room, Ozpin slightly reclined in desk chair. He focused his eyes on the twinkling lights below. He didn't mind that this show had just sprung up seemingly overnight. In fact, he thought it was nice that the student body found some happiness in this bleak, desperate world called Remnant. Maybe someday, they could live in a world where they could do this without having to fear the darkness and unknown approaching on the horizon.

Goodwitch walked back into the room and placed the now filled mug on the desk. Standing next to Ozpin in his chair, she watched the concert unfold along with him. It certainly was something out of the ordinary. Might as well observe it in a responsible manner.

Both of them hoped for the best. It would be a shame if something went wrong during the show.

* * *

><p><strong>Man, it's just wild beats in this chapter! For your information (and so I don't get sued), the songs in this chapter are 'Fly By Night' by Rush, and 'Runaway Train' by Soul Asylum. Nothing can beat some good ol' rock! Remember to leave me some criticisms or compliments in the reviews section! This is The Draigg, signing off to rock out!<strong>


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Disaster Domino Set-Up

**Look there! It's your friendly neighborhood author, The Draigg! As he swings from building to building, he encourages the fair citizens of Fan Fiction City to remember that he doesn't own RWBY, or any songs he puts in his stories. Now, let's start the latest, amazing volume of The Sounds Of Vale!**

* * *

><p>Cardin made his way through the fringes of the concert audience. He was lucky that nobody paid much attention to the bucket full of pudding. It seemed like his assumption was correct, in that the people were paying more attention the concert than him.<p>

But then, he ducked into some nearby bushes. He couldn't get away with walking past the stage towards the back. He would have to wait for the song that the Ice Queen was singing to finish. That way, people wouldn't be focusing on the stage as much as when she was singing.

However, it was still a matter of luck that he would be able to make it up there unnoticed. But, he was Cardin Winchester, damn it! He had luck on his side! Well, except for those other times, but those didn't matter right now.

And so, Cardin bided his time. Yes, timing was the key. His magnum opus depended on it. He would begin his climb after the next song.

* * *

><p>Weiss was panting a little after finishing the last song. But, she had to remain firm. Her fans were depending on her! Wait, fans? That was a new idea to Weiss. It was interesting to think that she could get fans of her singing. Weiss could get used that idea.<p>

Twirling her microphone in her hand, Weiss moved closer to the edge of the stage. She reached out her hand to touch some of the audience's hands. After giving a few students high-fives, she skipped back to the middle of the stage.

"Man, you guys are just exploding with love here! I think we can make it reach the moon!", Weiss said to the crowd. Inwardly, she blanched at what she said. Apparently, Ruby thought it was the height of wit to introduce songs with bad puns. Maybe she had got it from whatever side of the family Yang also came from.

With a properly timed snap of her fingers, the lights refocused on the stage, bathing it in light blue and rich purple light. It was meant to invoke an ethereal mood in the audience. Weiss stood under the main light, slightly dancinng to the melody of the song. She began to sing:

_"__Fly me to the moon/And let me play among the stars  
>Let me see what spring is likeOn Jupiter and Mars"_

Weiss didn't really understand those lyrics. Why were those (rather common) names mentioned like they were celestial bodies? Some pretty lame people must have named those (assumed) planets. Hopefully, she would never have to meet such uncreative people like those who came up with lame names for planets.

_"__In other words, hold my hand  
>In other words, baby, kiss me"<em>

_"__Fill my heart with song/and let me sing forever more  
>You are all I long forAll I worship and adore"_

_"__In other words, please be true  
>In other words, I love you"<em>

During the instrumental section, Weiss danced elegantly with an imaginary person. She hoped that it didn't look too bad. But, given that the audience wasn't reacting badly, Weiss assumed it was fine.

_"__Fill my heart with song/Let me sing forever more  
>You are all I long forAll I worship and adore"_

_"__In other words, please be true/In other words, I love you  
>In other words, I love you."<em>

At the last note, Weiss clenched her fist to her chest, and offered it to the audience. Letting her fist go, the crowd cheered at her performance. After listening to the rock songs before, it was nice to hear a catchy, jazzy song.

"You see?", Weiss said, "I think we did make it to the moon!". The crowd cheered in mirth, pleased with the atmosphere they were soaking in.

"But, hey. I think we should bring it a little down.", Weiss said in a calm voice. On cue, the lights dimmed, and only a center light focused on Weiss. She began to sway gently to the melancholic piano piece. Her mouth opened, and the words of the song began to pour out.

_"__One life/Is not a long time  
>When you're waitingFor a small sign"_

_"Patience/Is hard to find  
>ShadowsSeem to fill your life"_

The audience began to wave their scrolls again, but this time the lights were a little dimmer. It was a soft, sad song. But, at the same time, it was powerful as well.__

_"Don't be disappointed/Don't let your heart break  
>Don't spend another minuteIn this way  
>It's okay"<em>

_"Dry your eyes now, baby/Broken wings won't hold you down  
>You'll take flight soon, babyYou'll be lifted up  
>And you'll be there"<em>

_"Twelve hours/Is a long night  
>When you're searchingWith no hope in sight"_

_"Aimless/On the inside  
>And the damageMakes you want to hide"_

_"I know that it seems pointless/I know that it feels fake  
>I know you can't stand the thought ofBeing stray  
>One more day"<em>

_"Dry your eyes now, baby/Broken wings won't hold you down  
>You'll take flight soon, babyYou'll be lifted up  
>And you'll be there"<em>

Weiss sighed at the end of the song. To her, it made the memories of Blake running away flood back to her. That was a new, emotional time in her life. Plus, it reminded Weiss of herself a little. She just wanted to find a home of her own someday.

So, wiping a tear from the corner of her left eye, Weiss readdressed the audience.

"That song… it certainly brought up a lot.", Weiss admitted. She didn't have to exaggerate her opinion that much.

"But… I'm glad that we got that out. It's really a special thing to share a powerful emotion with so many of you.", she continued, waving her hand over the audience. They whistled and cheered in response. Surely, they must have felt the same way.

* * *

><p>Cardin ducked out of the bushes and over to the scaffolding. This was his chance! Slinging the bucket's handle around his shoulder, he stepped onto the bottom part of the light rigging and began to climb.<p>

Hopefully, he could make it pretty far up there before another song would start up. But, he had to take his time. Cardin couldn't afford to spill all the pudding in the bucket. He paid good money for it, and damn it, he was going to make it worth every lien!

He stopped partway up the rigging, having to take a break. That bucket was a lot heavier than he realized. Plus, the sloshing of the pudding made it worse. Luckily for him, he was hidden behind some heavy wiring and a speaker. If another song started, he would remain unseen. The next song came all of the sudden to Cardin, since he wasn't paying attention to the stage once he started climbing. The lights moved across the stage. Well, he could afford to rest a little longer.

* * *

><p>Ren was doing his job to the letter. It was a good thing he actually had an actual idea how to be a DJ. He listened to the radio enough to get the basic idea to make it work. So, setting the next song on play, he decided to take a quick bathroom break.<p>

He had a few minutes to spare, and nobody would even notice his absence. Leaving the soundboard, he walked down from the staging area and towards the nearest bathroom building. It was a good thing they weren't too far away.

He walked into the unisex bathroom and closed the door. Unzipping his fly, he urinated into the toilet. Given the amount of coffee he had drunken so far tonight, Ren was a little surprised that his bladder hadn't exploded yet. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he spied the storage closet slightly ajar.

Huh, that was odd. Normally, that was closed to student access. But, it looked like the lock had been violently smashed off. Tucking his manhood back into his pants, Ren walked over to the closet to examine it. He wasn't very pleased with what he saw inside. In fact, he was completely fed up with the object in question.

Shoved in the corner of the closet was that damned tree costume of Nora's. Now that Ren thought about it, it made sense that Nora would sneak it over here. He guessed that Nora planned to change into it when she had the chance. If she did that, then the next logical step was to do something stupid while wearing it. Nora could be a little predictable at times.

Ren decided to end this issue now. Washing his hands in the nearby sink, he tried to think of a solution. He knew that the best way to completely eradicate the costume issue was with fire. Otherwise, he knew Nora would search all over for the costume of he hid it or threw it out. And, if that happened, he feared that it would negatively affect the way the show was running. So, the costume needed to be completely destroyed.

A plan began to form in his mind. He needed fire. He knew where to get fire. He knew that Weiss' Myrtenaster was being kept with her clothes, which were being stored back stage. All he needed was some fire dust from the multi-chambered rapier, and the whole problem would go up in smoke.

Before Ren stepped out of the bathroom, he grabbed the costume. Dragging it behind him, Ren walked back over to his work station. Just as he thought, nobody really noticed his absence.

Dropping the costume, he walked over to where Weiss' clothes and weapon were stored. Unlocking the chamber of Myrtenaster, Ren took out a small amount of fore dust. It was a good thing that Weiss practiced poor weapon safety, since she kept her unattended weapon still loaded. He should probably talk to her later about that, after he explained that he 'borrowed' some of her dust.

Walking back over to the tree costume, Ren sprinkled the dust on a corner of the costume and stomped on it. A small amount of flame was summoned. However, the costume had barely even caught on fire. He should have grabbed some more dust. Oh well, Ren was a patient fellow. He would just have to wait for the bright embers to catch.

Satisfied with his work, Ren grabbed a can of coffee from the ice cooler and slumped back down into his chair behind the soundboard. To be honest, Ren was feeling a little relieved. That was a good weight off his shoulders. So, settling in, Ren prepared for the long haul. Yep, everything seemed fine in the world to him now.

* * *

><p>Since they weren't going to be in the show until the finale, Blake and Yang didn't have much to do. So they decided to go over their song, flirt, play on their scrolls, flirt, flirt, read, flirtatiously read, surf the internet, flirt, and play thumb war. Eventually, they ran out of ideas, so now they were just talking about random subjects.<p>

"Hey.", Yang said, looking of at the distant horizon. The night sky was barely visible, given all the bright lights around the stage.

"What is it?", asked Blake, eating the eye candy that was Yang in a costume. She never stopped doing it from when she started earlier today.

"I'm hungry.", Yang complained. It wasn't exactly fair that they had to stay out of the audience's view. Velvet and Ruby agreed that they wanted the whole team's performance a surprise. If anyone saw the others in costume, it would spoil the ending.

Blake rolled her eyes. But, she didn't have much room to pass judgment, though. Blake was also feeling hungry. She really should have bought food before coming here. Right now, she would be willing to chase a laser pointer if that meant she got a tuna sandwich.

"_Mmm… tuna…_", Blake thought, her mouth filling with saliva. Her stomach rumbled in annoyance. Man, she really needed something in her right now. And no, not in the way she usually meant that sentence.

"Me too.", Blake agreed.

"You, uh, wouldn't happen to have anything eat, would you?", Yang asked, sounding desperate.

"Other than me? Not really.", Blake replied. She hoped that her little dirty joke would lighten the mood. It really didn't. Yang was too hungry to notice it.

Yang sighed in annoyance, rolling around her head. "I'm BOREDDDDD. And HUNNNNGRY.", Yang whined loudly. She could be pretty childish occasionally.

"Yang, calm down.", Blake said in an even tone. She began to stroke her girlfriend's knee. Sometimes, she needed to be treated like a child, too.

Blake hoped that this wouldn't continue for much longer. All they needed to do was bide their time until they were called onto stage. Then, they would actually have something to do other than sit around and look pretty.

Man, all the pair of them wanted was something interesting to happen. Hell, maybe the answer would fall out of the sky. They could only hold out for something like that.

* * *

><p><strong>And… there! The last domino in the chain is set up! All we need now is someone to flick one and send them falling over! I hope you like the songs I put in here, 'Fly Me To The Moon' by Bart Howard, and 'Wings' by Jeff Williams. Yes, I absolutely had to include one song from the soundtrack in here. Anyway, let your opinion be known in the reviews section for me! This is The Draigg, signing off to wait for the tipping point.<strong>


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Hitting The Fan

***Punch* Ooofff! I won't give in! I won't! All I'm telling you is that I'm The Draigg, and I don't own RWBY or any songs I put in my stories. That's all! You can send my fingers to my bosses, I won't say anything else! Now, just please, stop! Just read the chapter, like I told you!**

* * *

><p>Cardin Winchester was finally getting somewhere with his prank. He had finally managed to climb up to the top of the rafters completely unnoticed. He felt that it was pretty lucky that he didn't spill any of the pudding in the bucket, either.<p>

He was currently perched over the stage, hiding behind a lighting rig. All the pieces were now set. Now, he just needed to dump the bucket on the Ice Queen's head at the right time. After all, timing was everything. Plus, he wasn't in any real rush. Cardin could afford to rest a little up there. He sure as hell earned it.

Man, this prank was going to ROCK.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, down on the stage, Weiss had finished the short chat to the crowd, and was ready to start singing again. Cracking her spine, Weiss prepared her voice for another song. Now that she thought about it, her throat was starting to get a little sore. She would kill for a throat lozenge.<p>

Weiss began to prance around the stage, since this song was pretty upbeat sounding. After holding out her hand to the front row to touch, she skipped back to the middle of the stage and began to sing.

_"__And if I lost the map/If I lost it all  
>I fell into the trapThen she goes"_

_"When you're tired of waiting you just/Find you never had to stop  
>Come on baby, don't let it break your heart"<em>

_"Those heavenly regrets/Still on me though  
>Trying to catch a cannonballAnd so burning tired"_

_"Oh-oh-oh-oh through my veins is flowing/From a shipwreck I heard a call  
>Well she said"<em>

_"When you're tired of aiming your arrows/Still you'll never hit the mark  
>Oh-oh-oh even if your aims are shadowsStill we never gonna part"_

_"Come on baby don't let it /Break your heart  
>Don't let it break your heartDon't let it break your heart"_

_"Don't let it break your heart"_

As the sing faded away, the green and light blue lights moved across the audience, bathing the crowd in bright, pastel colors.

Cardin turned around, ready to dump the bucket. However, when he shifted his body to grab it, the bucked shifted and nearly fell off the scaffolding. Cardin moved to quickly to grab the bucket, and his momentum carried him over the edge, along with the bucket.

"_Oh SHIT!_", went Cardin's thoughts as he careened towards the back stage area. His great plot had been ruined by simple gravity.

"You win this time, gravity!", he shouted before he hit the ground. His cries were drowned out by the crowd's cheering.

* * *

><p>Ren couldn't help but feel a little annoyed by now. Hadn't the tree costume caught on fire by now? He thought it would have, since dust was always reliable. He stood up and walked over to where the costume was.<p>

In hindsight, maybe dust could be too reliable sometimes. Well, Ren didn't have much time to dwell on it, since not only was the tree costume was on fire, but the surrounding grass was too. Now he knew how Ruby felt when she accidentally blew up the botanical gardens.

Ren turned around to tell the others, but he was briefly interrupted when a large, heavy sounding figure crashed in front of the fire. It looked like it had a bucket grasped in it's fist. Well, Ren didn't cause that. But, it was still an issue to bring up.

Keeping his panic under control, Ren walked over to where the rest of his friends were working. Well, except for Ruby. She was taking a bathroom break. Those energy drinks were wreaking havoc on her bladder.

"Uh, guys? I think we have a slight problem.", he said, getting everyone's attention. Curious, the work group walked over to where he was gesturing.

"MY COSTUME!", Nora cried, dashing over to the burning pile. In the process, she trampled over the figure's legs by accident. That apparently got it out of it's quiet daze.

"GAHHH! MY LEGS! SHE BROKE MY LEGS!", came Cardin Winchester's voice. The bucket fell from his grasp. Normally, Nora would have grinned like a complete loon at the thought of doing that, but she was too busy grieving over the burning remains of the tree costume.

"Why?! Why would this happen?!", she cried, kneeling on front of the flames. That costume was so young! It was too early for it to die! Nora could remember the day she made it, as if it was yesterday.

"Uh, maybe Cardin lit it on fire.", Ren quickly said. Man, this was all too convenient of an excuse. It was if the universe was finally giving him a break for once. If they believed him, then Ren would get away with setting the fire scot-free.

Nora perked up at those words. As Nora stomped furiously over to where Cardin lied, Pyrrha and Jaune rushed over to the flames to stomp them out. Luckily, they got the fire out quickly, but the costume and nearby grass were unsalvageable.

"**You.** You did this!", Nora growled of Cardin. Cardin was too focused on his broken legs to give a proper response.

Instead, he groaned, "Broke… legs… GAHH!". He tried to clutch at one of them, but he was in too much pain to move. He wasn't really sure if they broke from the fall or if it was Nora's doing. All he knew is that she made it worse.

"You broke your legs?! I'LL BREAK MORE THAN THAT!", Nora cried, stomping on one of his shin bones. If it wasn't already broken, it certainly was now.

Cardin writhed around in pain, making inarticulate noises. Man, the world turned on him pretty quickly. Now, Nora tried to pounce on him, with a look of absolute murder in her eyes.

Luckily for Cardin, Blake, Velvet, and Yang managed to get Nora off of him. However, she wasn't going without a fight. Kicking and thrashing, Nora screamed, "I'll kill him! I'll DESTROY him! **I'll crush his SOUL! GGGRRRAAHHHHHHHHH!**".

After that, she began to whimper as the trio dragged Nora away from Cardin. She was sadder beyond words right now. What she needed was to have her friends comfort her. To Nora, the loss of the costume stung deep.

"We should have someone take him to the Medical Ward.", Jaune noted. Even if Cardin was a douchebag, Jaune always made sure to show compassion to his enemies.

Nodding, Pyrrha dragged the now moaning Cardin in the direction of the Medical Ward. Jaune could probably get Velvet to work the lights while she and Nora were indisposed. It couldn't be all too hard.

Without a word, Jaune walked off to find Velvet. Ren simply stood place after everyone had left the area. Scratching his head, Ren looked around, completely stumped. What the hell did he just watch?

Sure, the fire part was his fault, he knew that. But, he sure didn't see an enraged Nora try to murder an injured Cardin Winchester coming. Not in the slightest. Wow, the universe sure made the simplest plans pretty odd.

Regardless, Ren felt rather guilty for what he did. Sure, it was necessary, but that didn't mean that it wasn't still a cruel thing to do. He would probably make Nora a month's worth of pancakes to get her mood up. But, he probably shouldn't confess what he did just yet. She needed to calm down first. Otherwise, Nora would probably castrate him and play golf with his testicles.

But, having more pressing matters currently, Ren walked back over to the soundboard station. He would have to sort this all out later.

* * *

><p>Ruby, coming back to the back stage a few minutes later, was incredibly confused at what she saw. For some reason, Nora was crying in a corner, being comforted by Blake and Yang. Jaune was coaching Velvet how to work the lights, and Ren was setting up the next song to play. And just where was Pyrrha, anyway?<p>

Confused, she walked over to the nearest calm person, which happened to be Ren. Leaning on the soundboard, Ruby asked, "What did I, uh, miss?".

Ren didn't look up from his scroll as he replied, "Cardin got involved back here, and there was a small fire. All it destroyed was Nora's tree costume.". Well, that was a nice half-truth. It wasn't a lie that a fire destroyed the tree costume, and that Cardin somehow got involved. Ren just didn't say that he started the fire and pinned the blame on Cardin. So, he technically didn't lie.

Ruby scratched her neck and looked around. She was only gone for, like, less than ten minutes! How could all of that happen in that time?! She half-expected to have aliens invade the next time she went on a bathroom break. It would make as just sense as what Ren told her.

Ren turned back to his work, setting another song to play. Ruby simply walked over to the nearest chair, not knowing what to do. She sat down and observed what was happening around her. Well, at least Weiss was doing well out there. That was definitely a plus.

* * *

><p>Weiss was a little confused as to why the lights weren't switching as the song began to play. But then, her curiosity was slightly calmed when she heard Jaune's voice buzz in her ear.<p>

"Hey, uh Weiss? Just go on like normal. We have small situation back here. Just… yeah.", Jaune said, making his explanation quick. Weiss accepted what he said without hesitation. Her job was to sing, not to question whatever happened back there.

Weiss' mask of professionalism didn't slip as she began to sing the next song. She had a crowd of students to entertain, darn it!

_"__Look at the stars/Look how they shine for you  
>And everything you doYeah they were all yellow"_

_"I came along/I wrote a song for you  
>And all the things you doAnd it was called yellow"_

_"So then I took my turn/Oh what a thing to have done  
>And it was all yellow"<em>

_"Your skin/Oh yeah your skin and bones  
>Turn into something beautifulYou know you know I love you so  
>You know I love you so"<em>

Weiss swayed along to the guitar in the song. She was sure that the audience was doing the same.__

_"I swam across/I jumped across for you  
>Oh what a thing to do"<em>

_"Cause you were all yellow/I drew a line  
>I drew a line for youOh what a thing to do  
>And it was all yellow"<em>

_"Your skin/Oh yeah your skin and bones  
>Turn into something beautifulAnd you know  
>For you I'd bleed myself dryFor you I'd bleed myself dry"_

_"It's true/Look how they shine for you  
>Look how they shine for youLook how they shine for  
>Look how they shine for youLook how they shine for you  
>Look how they shine"<em>

Weiss lowered her head as she slowly sang the last verse.__

_"Look at the stars/Look how they shine for you  
>And all the things that you do"<em>

The crowd erupted into claps and whistles as the last words of the song escaped Weiss' lips. She couldn't help but smile at them. Sure, she was used to them clapping by now, but it was still very much appreciated.

Okay, she didn't much have to holdout for much longer until the finale. Only two more songs, then the rest of Team RWBY would come put for that foreign pop finale. Man, she really hoped that they would get whatever issue they had wrapped up by then.

"Hey uh, Weiss? Think you can buy us about… five more minutes to set up the lights?", Jaune asked through his headset.

Weiss accepted his task. To be honest, she liked talking to the audience. It made her feel like a real performer with fans whenever she did. So, she took her orders in stride. Hey, as long as they kept on schedule (for the most part), it was all good.

As far as Weiss knew, the plan was going mostly without a hitch. Yeah, this concert was not bad, not bad at all.

* * *

><p><strong>Ha! I've broken out of my restraints, you animals! Bet you didn't see that one coming! Before I drop you down this elevator shaft, you should know that the songs used in this chapter are 'Don't Let It Break Your Heart' and 'Yellow' by Coldplay. Whoops, I let go! See ya, hope you enjoy the trip! This is The Draigg, signing off to blow up you monsters and your base!<strong>


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Penultimate Act

**Swiggity swoogity, I bet you're comin' for that story! It's your pal, The Draigg here, and I'm slingin' the latest chapter here for ya! Now, before we get started here, I should tell you that Monty Oum owns RWBY, and that I don't own any song ort whatever I write about in here. Now, my home skillet biscuit, let's get to some readin'!**

* * *

><p>While Weiss was talking still to the audience, the back stage area was in a whirlwind of activity. Since Nora was unavailable due to her freaking out at the burring of the tree costume, Velvet was being coached to be her replacement. Plus, Pyrrha couldn't join them anytime soon, since she had delivered a brutalized Cardin Winchester to the Medical Ward. She would be buried in paperwork for about two or so hours.<p>

Also, Ruby, Blake and Yang were going over the foreign pop song that they were planning on singing for the finale. Or rather, it was more like Blake gushing over the song, while a lost and confused Yang and Ruby listened on.

"So then, the princess is running this school that teaches pacifism, but then some annoying girl with weird eyebrows comes along. She's the relative of that Duke guy, and she's being sent there to spy on the kingdom!", Blake explained in a single breath. Surprisingly, she had a high lung capacity when it came to stuff she was interested in.

"Blake, please.", Ruby begged, "You've been gushing about that show for five minutes now. Can we just get back to '_Rhythm Emotion_'?". Yang nodded vigorously at her sister's sentiment.

The cat-eared girl gave a small huff in annoyance. But, she hadn't got to the part where she would explain why her fan pairings were supported by canon! They were real to her, damn it!

"Fine.", Blake eventually agreed. Picking up her print out of the song, she started to explain it to them.

"So, you probably know where your movement points are. And, as long as you pronounce the words mostly right, it really shouldn't matter if you stumble on them a little. Now, I'm guessing you guys know which parts you're singing?", went over Blake.

Yang and Ruby nodded in agreement. Both of them had a pretty good idea on what their roles were.

"Good. There, that ought to be good enough of a preparation.", Blake said, putting down the song. Settling in, she then said, "Now where was I? Oh, right. So then, the two pilots make it to the kingdom, and…".

Ruby and Yang tuned out Blake's rambling on that anime. Sure, it's where the song came from, but they didn't need to know the history of it.

The sisters strapped in for boredom. Well, at least Blake would stop talking once the finale was ready.

* * *

><p>"—And I just bet this is the perfect date for you, huh?", Weiss asked a girl sitting in the front row. The girl nodded in response, wearing a large grin.<p>

Weiss had been interviewing and talking to various members of the audience. It sure helped to buy time for the lighting problem to get solved. Plus, given the way Weiss had talked to the audience throughout the concert, this seemed natural for her to do.

All of the sudden, Jaune's voice came over Weiss' earpiece. "Good news. We got the lights back up. We should be playing the next song in a minute. Get ready.", he advised, before cutting off his feed.

Weiss needed to think of a way to transition from what she was talking about to the song. Thinking quickly, she said:

"Well, I'm glad that lovers like you can enjoy something like this tonight. In fact…", Weiss said, hearing the beat of the next song starting, "It reminds me of this song.".

Weiss stood in place as the lights dimmed, eventually narrowing to a single beam above her. She was bathed in a pale, golden light.

_"__Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game/On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
>Turning and returning to some secret place insideWatching in slow motion as you turn around and say"_

_"Take my breath away/Take my breath away"_

_"Watching I keep waiting still anticipating love/Never hesitating to become the fated ones  
>Turning and returning to some secret place to hideWatching in slow motion as you turn to me and say"_

_"Take my breath away"_

_"Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away/When the mirror crashed I called you, and turned to hear you say  
>If only for today I am unafraid"<em>

In the brief interlude, Weiss gazed over the crowd. She saw the girl she had talked to earlier swaying with her boyfriend. The girl had her eyes closed, leaning her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. Internally, Weiss smiled. She and Ruby should do that if they went to a concert.__

_"Take my breath away/Take my breath away"_

_"Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game/Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames  
>Turning and returning to some secret place insideWatching in slow motion as you turn to me and say"_

_"Take my breath away/My love, take my breath away..."_

As the lights returned on stage, Weiss couldn't help but wave to the crowd. She also really liked that song. Maybe she was just a sap for sugary, over-romantic songs. Just like how she secretly liked sappy romantic comedy movies.

Great, now she just had one more song to go until the finale was to happen. But, as usual, she had a minute to spare until the next track started. So, she talked to the crowd once more. It was if this routine was becoming natural to her.

"I hope all of you couples in the crowd loved that! Can I hear a 'yes'?", Weiss asked before pointing the microphone to the audience. They answered with a resounding "YEAH!". Weiss noticed the girl from earlier shouting as well. She couldn't help but grin.

"Oh, you're simply too much!", complimented Weiss.

Before she could continue, however, the track to the next song began to play, and the lights changed to a vibrant green. The lights then moved around the stage in large circles. Clearly, this was going to be an upbeat song.

"You ready? Let's do it!", Weiss said before launching into the song.

_"__Hey baby won't you look my way/I can be your new addiction  
>Hey baby what you gotta say?All you're giving me is fiction  
>I'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the timeI found out that everybody talks  
>Everybody talks, everybody talks"<em>

Weiss briefly froze in place during the brief pause. But then, she danced across stage to the next verse, since it was more energetic.__

_"It started with a whisper/And that was when I kissed her  
>And then she made my lips hurtI could hear the chit chat  
>Take me to your love shackMamas always gotta back track  
>When everybody talks back"<em>

_"Hey honey you could be my drug/You could be my new prescription  
>Too much could be an overdoseAll this trash talk make me itchin'  
>Oh my myEverybody talks, everybody talks  
>Everybody talks, too much"<em>

_"It started with a whisper/And that was when I kissed her  
>And then she made my lips hurtI could hear the chit chat  
>Take me to your love shackMamas always gotta back track  
>When everybody talks back"<em>

This time around, Weiss decided to plop herself on the edge of the stage. While she sat there, she touched hands with several members of the audience.__

_"Never thought I'd live/To see the day  
>When everybody's words got in the way"<em>

_"Hey sugar show me all your love/All you're giving me is friction  
>Hey sugar what you gotta say?"<em>

Weiss sprung up, dancing along to the energy of the song. She was going to put in the last of her solo strength into this song.__

_"It started with a whisper/And that was when I kissed her  
>And then she made my lips hurtI could hear the chit chat  
>Take me to your love shackMamas always gotta back track  
>When everybody talks back"<em>

_"Everybody talks, everybody talks/Everybody talks, everybody talks  
>Everybody talks, everybody talks back"<em>

_"It started with a whisper/And that was when I kissed her"_

_"Everybody talks, everybody talks back"_

The song came to a sudden stop. It was an appropriate fit, considering all the brief beats placed throughout the song itself. Wiping sweat from her forehead, Weiss smiled. The crowd was going ballistic. Weiss couldn't help but think that all their hard work had amounted to something this awesome.

"What a song, right?", she asked into her microphone. The audience members roared, answering her question.

"I must say, I gave it my all up here tonight. I'm not sure I can go on…", Weiss said, placing the back of her free hand on her forehead. Hamming up her acting seemed to work well so far. It really got the audience pumped up for the next song.

"Heck, I just might need some help for the finale. What do you guys think?", Weiss asked, rhetorically. Of course, Team RWBY would be out on stage regardless. But, as experience as shown, it was okay to treat the audience like all of them were simple during a concert. It just worked that way.

Nobody knew where it started from, but quickly, a cry of "BRING THEM OUT!", spread throughout the crowd.

"BRING! THEM! OUT! BRING! THEM! OUT!", the large group of students chanted in unison. Weiss couldn't help but grin. Well, she was obligated to do just that, right?

* * *

><p>Backstage, the rest of Team RWBY was assembled just at the edge of the curtain. When the previous song ended, they had rushed over with microphones in hand, ready to go out. However, their individual preparedness levels were unique amongst them.<p>

Blake was trying not to have a small spazz attack. She was going to live out an idol anime! She knew this day would come! She KNEW it! All that was missing was the harem!

Yang tried to keep down her nausea. It was a good thing that she hadn't eaten in a few hours, or she would have vomit on her dress already. But man, it was still a bad idea to have had spaghetti for an early lunch today. It felt like a lead weight in her stomach. But, since the cafeteria cook made it according to his mom's recipe (allegedly), it was usually pretty good. Yang couldn't do anything about that decision now.

And finally, Ruby was feeling surprisingly serene. Since she had gone out on stage earlier, she know had a good idea of the audience's mood. All she needed to do was get over the hurdle of singing. But, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. After all, she had her girlfriend, her sister, and a cat-lady on her side. Ruby would make the audience proud. Then finally, her dream would be complete.

Walking up to them, Jaune made a quick comment in his headset. "They're about to come out. Get ready.". Then before facing the team, Jaune barked to Velvet, "And get those lights down!".

Turning his attention to Team RBY, Jaune only had a few words to say. "Good luck out there. Don't worry, I believe you can do it.". He then spun on his heel and headed off over to Ren to observe the sound board.

Muffled behind the stage, one could hear Weiss say, "Okay, let's bring them out!".

Ruby was the only one to say anything as the lights dimmed beyond the curtain. "Well… are you ready?", she asked to her friends.

How could they not be? All off the hours they put in, all of the drama, all of the sweat and tears had boiled down into this moment. If they weren't ready now, they never would be. It seemed like this moment hung in time, as the implications sank into Yang and Blake's minds.

Yang took a deep breath and said, "Yeah. Let's do this.". He face morphed into a cocky grin.

Blake nodded like a complete loon. Clearly, she was enjoying herself too much. "I'm as ready as possible.", she replied.

The time had arrived. Taking a tentative first step, Ruby pulled back the heavy curtain. The barrier between them and the clamoring audience was now gone. Walking beyond the threshold, Team RWBY was now completely on stage.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang stood in their places as the lights brightened. Now that their collective figures were gathered together, the crowd of students cheered louder than before. Man, they were in for a treat.

The stage was set now.

The finale of Team RWBY's work was now at hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh man, oh god, oh man, oh god, oh man, oh god! Are you ready for the finale! I bet you are! But, while you wait for it to happen, you can listen to the sings I put in this chapter: "Take My Breath Away", by Berlin, and "Everybody Talks", by Neon Trees. Now, Gundam Fig—no, Concert Finale, all set… ready, GO!<strong>


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Finale – Rhythm Emotion

**Oh geez, oh boy. Can you believe it?! I can, since I, The Draigg, wrote it! Now, before I dazzle you all with the grand finale of the concert, you should be advised that I don't own a thing: not RWBY, or any media I put in here. I'm just piggybacking on other's successes. Now, with all that out of the way, let's start this ending!**

* * *

><p>"Here you have it, everybody! I present… Team RWBY!", Weiss called into her microphone. Ruby suppressed a small wave. She really wanted to do that, but then it wouldn't mesh with the mood they were shooting for.<p>

Several people in the front row whistled, and the rest of the student body cheered and waved their arms in the air. They were practically eating excitement out of Weiss' hands now.

"Now, I just want to say, we all love you for coming out here tonight, and seeing all of us. But before you go, let's just leave you with one more thing!", was Weiss' transition into the song.

The lights dimmed, and bright red lights pulsed to the early beat of the song. Unseen to everyone, Weiss tapped her foot to the beat of the song. She hoped that the rest of her team was ready for this.

Just as the singing was about to start, the red lights mixed with the bright white lights. The stage was now bathed in a light-ish red color. Now, the final song had begun. Weiss began to sing the first verse.

_"__I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"  
>kono mune no kodou wa<br>anata e to tsudzuite'ru so far away"_

During the instrumental portion, Blake made her way to the forefront of the stage. This was her part of the song. And she couldn't possibly feel any better about it.

_"__mou kizutsuite mo ii  
>hitomi wo sorasazu ni<br>atsuku hageshiku ikite itai"_

_"__akiramenai tsuyosa wo  
>kureru anata dakara dakishimetai"<em>

It was now that Weiss and Ruby made their way to where Blake was standing, since the both of them were going to sing the verses now. Ruby was feeling pretty confident about this. She could sing. Her voice had been finally found.

_"__I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"  
>ayamachi mo itami mo<br>azayaka na isshun no hikari e to michibiete  
>I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"<br>kono mune no kodou wa  
>anata e to tsudzuite'ru so far away"<em>

Blake took this time to move a little back further on stage. Yang's part was coming up. Now that she thought about it, Yang didn't even know what she was singing. At least Blake had a passing understanding of the language, and Ruby and Weiss looked up the lyrics.

_"__sou... shinayaka ni ima wo  
>suhada de uketomete<br>motto "yasashisa" mitsuketai yo"_

_"__subete ga kirameite'ta  
>osanai hi no kiseki torimodoshite..."<em>

As her vocal part was finished, Yang dramatically pointed to Weiss and Ruby. They danced forward and sang the chorus again. Her part in this song was over, other than just looking good on stage. And damn, she looked fine. Yang could practically feel half of the male student body undressing her with their eyes. If only they knew that she was nearly going to vomit from nervousness.

_"__I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"  
>otagai no setsunasa<br>kanjiai wakeaeru nukumori wo shinjite'ru  
>I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"<br>kono kiss de tashika na  
>jounetsu wo tsutaetai so far away..."<em>

In the instrumental part, Team RWBY gathered together, moving in near-perfect synchronicity. They grooved minimally, hoping that the rest of the song would make up for their lack of movement. It was hard to coordinate four different stage movement plans. But, since their motions had some snap to them, it looked pretty good, as far the audience could tell.

_"__I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"  
>ayamachi mo itami mo<br>azayaka na isshun no hikari e to michibiete  
>I just feel "Rhythm Emotion"<br>kono mune no kodou wa  
>anata e to tsudzuite'ru so far away"<em>

In the outro, Team RWBY gathered into a small group, and headed to the front of the stage. All of them reached out to the audience, hoping to feel the love they had for the songs and them.

As the music faded away, Team RWBY pranced back to the center of the stage, and all stood on their original markers. All of them bowed, since it was their last stage direction for the concert.

The crowd whooped and hollered. Wow, what a show! Sure, the majority of the crowd had no idea what in the hell those pretty ladies up there sang, but man, the energy overwhelming! All the passion in their voices played off the fact that it all sounded like gibberish to them.

Ruby pulled Weiss on for a very tight hug. She didn't care if the whole school saw the love she had for Weiss in that moment. All that mattered was that the moonlight-haired girl, the one she could call her own, the one named Weiss Schnee, helped her dream to come true.

Letting go, Ruby pulled up her own microphone to her mouth and said, "I… I just don't know what to say… Thank you! Thank all of you so much!". Her voice cracked a little, not from the singing, but from but the pure, unbridled emotions she was having in this moment.

Taking the initiative, the other members of Team RWBY decided to say something as well.

"We love you all!", Blake said, waving to the crowd. It was a bit rare to hear the (mostly) stoic girl say this, so it was a special occasion to hear that from her.

Yang blew a kiss, and cheered into her mic, "We're so glad you could be here tonight! I think you blew everyone's socks off with your awesomeness!". A lot of guys in the audience 'caught' her kiss. That got a few of them dirty looks from their girlfriends… and some boyfriends, too.

Finally, it's was Weiss' turn to say something. "We, of Team RWBY, hope you all had a great time here tonight! Remember, Beacon Academy: Love conquers all!". That part wasn't mentioned in any of the practice sessions she tried with Ruby. That was an idea from the heart, plain and simple.

As the lights dimmed, the members of Team RWBY could see the audience began to shuffle their way away from the staging area. Since they were obscured by shadow, the girls decided to head back stage. Their experience was now over.

The concert was over.

And it couldn't have gone any better to them.

* * *

><p>As soon as they were obscured by the curtain, Weiss and Ruby acted on a shared thought. They both dove towards each other and planted a deep, passionate kiss on each other's lips.<p>

Jaune and Velvet clapped for them as soon as the curtain settled in place.. Yang, smiling like she just won the national lottery, gestured for everyone to come over and join them.

"Come on! Group hug time!", she declared.

One by one, the crew members that were still there came over to Team RWBY's side. Forming a rough circle, the members of Task Force Musical pulled each other together in a tight embrace. Ruby couldn't help but look around the circle at everyone's faces.

Ren, the stern, capable worker, had a slight grin on his face. Ruby privately thanked him for his stoic, hardcore determination.

Nora, the chipper supporter, had finally put aside her raw anger and frustration from earlier and was now grinning like a loon. Ruby appreciated all the energy she brought to the group as a whole. She kept their spirits up with her livelihood.

Jaune, the stalwart ally, was laughing at how they managed to pull this off. Without him, Ruby would have never gotten the opportunity to do this musical in the first place. She was eternally grateful for that.

Even though Pyrrha wasn't there currently, Ruby still reached out to her in her heart. Ruby knew that she would do anything to help her friends, no matter what. She had a gentle heart.

Velvet looked as if she was a million miles away, since she could barely believe that this show hadn't ended with her nearly being lynched by an angry mob. As a valuable friend and ally, Ruby knew that without her Theater Club experience, she would have never gotten far without her.

Blake had a grin characteristic of a sly cat. Ruby really appreciated that she could have one of her best friends by her side during this journey. Plus, she also was glad she reeled in her crazy sister occasionally.

Speaking of Yang, her smile was reaching her ears by now. For all the love she had for her, for all the belief she had, Ruby could never thank her sister enough. It was just like the old days: they stuck to their guns and made it through together.

And finally, Weiss. Dear, kind of tired looking, Weiss. Where could Ruby even begin with her? If it wasn't for the fact that she brought up the need for a musical all that time ago, this would have never happened. And, if it wasn't for the musical, Weiss would still be hiding her emotions for her. So, if anything, Ruby had to save a lot of her thanks for Weiss. It was an incredible thought that all this happened just because of her.

Ruby simply couldn't thank everybody enough. But, she didn't need to. For they all knew how she felt. They all felt it. From their smallest cells to their thoughts, Task Force Musical was absolutely elated. They were on Cloud Nine. That high, that rush of success, jolted through every fiber of their beings.

They all hugged each other like that for a while. Nobody dared to break the electric jolt that they shared between their minds and souls. They all wished this moment wouldn't end.

But, as long as they had that memory, they could always feel that way again.

* * *

><p>"Oh, it looks like the show is over now, Glynda.", Professor Ozpin pointed out, still looking out of his obscenely huge office window. Professor Goodwitch nodded at her colleague's incredibly obvious statement.<p>

"It would appear so.", she noted.

"I didn't think it was bad.", Ozpin thought out loud. Turning to his desk, he scrawled something on a piece of blank paper.

"What's that, sir?", Professor Goodwitch asked, looking at the paper.

"Oh, just a thought of mine.", Ozpin replied, turning back to look out the window.

A brief silence filled the grand office, before, Ozpin continued.

"I think we should have something like that more often. I think the whole assembly enjoyed it.", he explained.

"Really, sir?", Goodwitch questioned.

"Of course, why not? Nobody got hurt tonight. I feel that that's one luxury we can afford them for the time being.", explained Professor Ozpin.

Professor Goodwitch nodded in response, and then joined him in looking at the stage. She had to admit, Ozpin certainly had a point. Maybe it was okay to have some moments of calm here, before they were cast out into the cruel world that was Remnant. The eye of the storm, if Beacon Academy could be called that.

They watched the large group of students leave the field in droves. Ozpin sipped the remaining coffee from his mug, and Goodwitch gave calculating looks over the rims of her glasses.

What an interesting night, indeed. Maybe they could use this knowledge to their advantage later. It was food for thought.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, below the office tower and a significant distance to the left, Pyrrha was with Cardin in the Medical Ward, working on the excessive amounts of paperwork about medical history.<p>

Oddly enough, Pyrrha didn't mind doing paperwork. Since she had the patience comparable to a martyred saint, she was humming as she breezed through the medical forms. Sure, she had to guess on most of the sections, since Cardin was being uncooperative, but that wasn't much a problem to her.

Cardin was shifting around on the examination table, clearly still in heavy discomfort. Aura related healing could only so much. It healed wounds, not make them feel better. So, he was given some painkillers when he was dragged in here. Luckily, he wasn't drugged out of his mind because of them.

Crap, now that he thought of it, Cardin needed one of his moron teammates to pick him up. He wouldn't be able to live it down if the people he bullied before ended up helping him.

He began to type a text message to Russel Thrush to pick him up tomorrow morning, but he was interrupted by the attending nurse walking into the room. Without missing a beat, the nurse snatched the scroll out of his hands and said, "Let's start your exam, okay?". The nurse sounded kind of annoyed, as if he was having a bad late shift. Tiredly, he tossed the scroll on the nearby counter.

"Hey, what do you think you're-", Cardin's protests were cut off by a tongue depressor being shoved in his mouth.

"Looks fine in there.", the nurse noted, before moving onto Cardin's ears.

Suddenly, Cardin's scroll began to buzz. It looked like he was getting a call from someone. Maybe Cardin's teammates figured out what happened and was calling him to check in on their ring-leader.

However, Cardin's hopes were crushed as the caller left behind a message. It was his mother.

"Cardy? It's Mom! How are you? You haven't called in a while!", went the message. Cardin thrashed where he sat, trying to reach the scroll that sat nearby. But, since his legs were immobile, his struggles were in vain. He just couldn't move enough.

As the nurse continued his examination, Cardin turned a shade paler. He could have sworn he could have heard a small giggle from Pyrrha.

"Anyway, Dad wants to know if we should mail over your chafing cream. We just don't know if you can get that at the school or not. So, please, call us back! We miss our little baby bird! Bye! Lots of love!". The message from Cardin's mom ended.

Pyrrha was hiding her grin from behind the paperwork. The color of Cardin's face could give that mostly blank paper a run for it's money.

The nurse, however, handled the call a little better. "Be sure to write down chafing cream on there.", he said, gesturing to the papers Pyrrha was holding. Nodding, Pyrrha did as she was told.

Cardin leaned back onto the examination table in shock. If only he hadn't broken his legs, he wouldn't have been humiliated like this.

Cardin really, really hated concerts now.

* * *

><p><strong>Bam! Whazam! It's the finale of finales! But, wait, I bet you thought I was done here, right? Hahahahaha WRONG. It's not over yet! We've got to see what happens after 'happily ever after', right? Anyway, while you wait for the epilogue, try listening to the song in this chapter, 'Rhythm Emotion', by Two-Mix. And heck, watch Gundam Wing while you're at it. It's the second theme song for that show, after all. Oh yeah, one more thing. I want to say thanks to JimboYokimbo, my editor, for helping me with this chapter. Anyway, this is The Draigg, signing off so I can see over the edge of the story.<strong>


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Epilogue

**Well, this story has been quite the journey. I'm The Draigg, and I'm here to show you the end of the line. The final act. The last chapter. Before we wrap this story up, I should remind you that I don't own RWBY. Now that I've said that, let's go back to this story to see the ending!**

**xxx**

Tuesday. Nobody on Task Force Musical was looking forward to Tuesday. They were standing out in the field after their classes for the day ended. All of them had pointy sticks and trash bags. All of them were pulling garbage clean up duty for their first day of detention.

Annoyed, Weiss speared an empty can of soda and tossed it into the bag. "I can't believe this! Picking up trash like this is way below us!", she complained.

Blake and Yang were inclined to agree with the silver-haired heiress.

"I know… As if getting rid of the stage wasn't enough.", Yang bitterly noted.

"We could have at least gotten some credits for this.", Blake chimed in, sounding tired. They had tried to haggle with Professor Goodwitch to get credits, but she pointed out that nobody ever got points for detention. Since that small fire happened on their watch, they were held responsible.

When Ren got word of that, he decided to keep his involvement quiet. It was just easier to let his friends believe Cardin did it. When he got his leg casts off, he sure was going to get it from Nora. He could tell form her gaze while she was cleaning the field that brutalizing Cardin was still on her mind.

Well, at least Pyrrha and Jaune were taking it well. Pyrrha was just using her polarity to float the empty soda cans into her bag, which Jane was holding open. They weren't stressing out in the slightest.

Speaking of stress, Velvet was having a minor internal breakdown. Detention!? She had never gotten detention! She was a normal, B-average student! Not some… degenerate!

"_What happens when I have study-hall detention tomorrow?! Oh gods, is it like prison?! I have to make a shank! No, that won't do! I either have to act crazy, or just bend over and be the prisoner's toy!_", she frantically thought. The only real knowledge she had of prison was from movies and television she watched. So, she was considering wearing a bandana and getting tattoos. How would she fit the bandana over her rabbit ears? She began to wrack her brain for solutions.

Ruby, however, was taking her detention in stride. Walking over to the rest of her team, she tried to get their spirits up.

"Come on, you guys! This isn't all that bad!", she pointed out. But, just as she said that, Weiss speared a can of soda that wasn't opened. The cola sprayed out in a jet that drenched Weiss' combat skirt.

Her eye furiously twitching, Weiss growled between her gritted teeth, "Ruby… NEVER say that again.". For some reason, the universe saw fit to punish somebody random after someone else dared to think that it had generosity and mercy.

Ruby frantically tried to clean the warm soda off of Weiss' skirt, while Blake and Yang tried to suppress their laughter. They had to admit, it was pretty funny. Food related messes were always the best.

"It's NOT funny!", Weiss complained as she noticed Blake and Yang covering their smiles. Since their laughter was unleashed when they saw Weiss' completely unthreatening pouty face, Weiss grew even angrier.

Moving away from Ruby, Weiss grabbed her garbage bag and threw it at Blake and Yang. Their laughter stopped immediately as they were covered in ice cream wrappers, stale soda, and partially melted candy.

"HEY!", the pair cried as she tried to shake off the trash. In retaliation, Yang began to throw garbage from her own trash bag. However, her aim was off, and she hit Ruby square in the face with a melted snow cone.

"ACKpthpthpth!", Ruby cried as she brushed the sticky liquid off her face. Oh, now it was ON.

Ruby, acting deadly calm, took a half-eaten burger out of her bag, walked over to her sister, and slammed the trash down her shirt. Yang got an absolutely flabbergasted look on her face. Did her sister really just do that?

Blake, now deciding to join the fray, threw an apple core at Ruby's back. Then, in her girlfriend's defense, Weiss picked up a partially finished cup of cola and dumped it on Blake.

Nora watched on in glee. Man, she really wanted in on the action. So, deciding to get involved, Nora slammed her bag over an unsuspecting Ren's head. Ren immediately slumped to the ground, stunned. Clutching his head, he groaned loudly. Maybe this was karmic balance for the fire. Deciding that it indeed was karma in action, Ren didn't bother to get up. He didn't want to make his punishment worse. Nora, however, then rushed over to Team RWBY, wanting to fight some more.

Jaune and Pyrrha stood by the sidelines, confused. How the hell did a fight start this quickly? However, they didn't ponder that question for long, as some trash started to fly in their direction.

"Pyrrha! Code C!", Jaune cried, dumping out several soda cans out of his bag. Following Jaune's orders, Pyrrha used her semblance to levitate the cans and launch them at the nearby ball of violence. Ever since food fights in the cafeteria grew more and more common, Team JNPR came up with several plans to fight with food in the most destructive ways possible.

Nobody in the fray noticed the large cloud of cans about to dump old soda on their heads until it was too late. When the rain of soft drink ended, everyone collectively set their sights on Pyrrha and Jaune. Noticing the looks in their friend's eyes, Jaune and Pyrrha tried to make use of the oldest trick in the book: run the hell away. They were chased around the field by a group of soda-soaked warriors.

Velvet now was completely freaking out. This was just like a prison riot! It was happening! She needed a shiv or something! But, instead of trying to fight her friends, Velvet's instincts defaulted to their usual response when people fought around her.

Curling into a tight ball on the ground, Velvet covered her head and yelled, "Don't hurt me! For the love of everything, please don't hurt me!".

If someone was to look upon the field at that moment, they would probably leave the minute they saw what was happening. But, if they bothered to stay around, they would have seen two people lying on the ground, one of which was screaming, and then an angry mob covered in soda chase around two students desperately trying to flee.

Such was life at Beacon Academy.

Meanwhile, a whole kingdom away…

**xxx**

A stern man was sitting in his dimly lit office. He was currently displeased with what he was seeing. In front of him, on his desk, his computer was currently opened on a video that one of his administrative assistants brought to his attention.

The video was showing a girl with silver hair in a frilly dress, singing to a loud and cheering crowd. As she finished the song, the crowd grew even louder with claps and whistles. Before the man could watch more of the video, he was interrupted by a call on his desk phone. Pausing the video, he answered it.

"Sir, Mister Brass is here to see you, just as you asked. Should I send him up?", the person on the other end asked.

"Of course. Send him in.", the man said. Hanging up the phone, the man behind the desk turned on the lights on his office remotely. He smoothed out the lapels of his icy-blue and white suit jacket.

Watching the video link, the man waited for Mr. Brass to walk into his office. Hearing the door open, the man paused the video and then stood up.

"Mr. Brass. I'm glad you could make it here in time", the well-dressed man said, gesturing to a plush chair in front of his desk.

Mr. Brass was trying his best to hide his nervousness. In his tan pants pockets, he began to feel for his lighter and smokes, subconsciously craving a calming cigarette. He could really use something, anything to calm his nerves. His actions didn't go unnoticed by the man in front of him.

As Mr. Brass began to walk forward, the stern faced man said in an almost patronizing tone, "Please, it's okay to smoke in here. Go ahead, have a cigarette.".

Accepting the man's offer, Mr. Brass pulled out a smoke and placed it in his mouth. Sitting in the chair the man offered, he gave his cigarette a light.

"Y-you wanted to see me, sir?", Mr. Brass said, taking a heavy drag and blowing out smoke.

The man behind the desk sat down, and turned the computer monitor to face Mr. Brass. He noticed the quick look of recognition in Mr. Brass' eyes.

"Now, what exactly could you tell me about this?", the man said, any trace of warmth or false comfort completely gone from his voice.

Mr. Brass shifted uncomfortably in his chair, then replied, "It looks like some kind of concert, sir.".

The man rolled his eyes, and then dryly remarked, "I'm glad that you have a grasp on the obvious. Now, I urge you to look again, Mr. Brass.". The glare that he shot at his underling made it clear that what he said wasn't a suggestion.

Mr. Brass made a show of moving his face closer to the computer screen. Then, taking another puff and leaning back, he said, "It's your daughter singing on stage, Mr. Schnee.".

Mr. Schnee leaned back in his chair, and folded his hands. "Your observation skills are uncanny, Mr. Brass.". He lowered his gaze and continued, "Now, as I understand it, your job was to observe Weiss' education AND lifestyle at Beacon Academy. Correct?".

Mr. Brass gave a small nod in response. Mr. Schnee gave off an aura as icy as his family name.

"So, would you mind telling me how THIS didn't come up in your inspection?", Mr. Schnee said, turning the monitor back around.

Mr. Brass sat there quietly, letting his cigarette burn down the filter in his fingers. When he felt the hot ashes reach his fingers, he put out the butt on a nearby ash tray. Mr. Schnee didn't move an inch. He was waiting for an answer.

"W-well… sir… I simply wasn't aware that your daughter was putting on a show. They must have hidden that fact well.", Mr. Brass lied.

"They?", simply asked Mr. Schnee, leaning forward on his desk. The lower half of his face was hidden behind his clasped hands.

"Your daughter's team at Beacon, sir. Team RWBY. Spelled R, W, B, Y.", Mr. Brass clarified.

"Interesting.", Mr. Schnee noted. He didn't move an inch, and his gaze remained firmly on Mr. Brass.

"I-is there anything else, sir?', Mr. Brass asked, desperately looking for a way out of this terrifying situation.

"No. You're dismissed.", ordered Mr. Schnee, gesturing his head to his office door. Mr. Brass took this as an opportunity to flee from the office.

As the door closed behind the underling, Mr. Schnee turned his attention to his computer. Closing the video, Mr. Schnee searched for the Beacon Academy website. Finding it, he ignored the mission statement and other resources. He wasn't interested in their education pedigree.

Finding the tab for Team Listings, he searched for a 'Team RWBY'. The search results showed the members of the team.

Apparently, the team was let by a young girl. Hmm, that was odd indeed. Scrolling down, he also saw that a liberally dressed young lady and a mysterious looking girl with a suspiciously short biography were also on the team, along with his daughter. That wasn't a good start. He would have to dig deeper to get some answers.

Picking up his phone, he called his secretary and said, "Ms. Bow, send this order to the estate office: gather insight to the members of Team RWBY.".

"And the member's names sir?", Ms. Bow asked from the other end of the line.

"Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Ruby Rose.", Mr. Schnee said, before abruptly hanging up the phone.

Leaning back into his desk chair, Mr. Schnee stared at the profile pictures of Team RWBY. He didn't have a good first impression of the girls on his daughter's team.

It was one thing to see a concert with his daughter in it on the internet, but what he saw in Weiss' teammates troubled him even more. They were either too young, too loose, or too mysterious to be trusted.

Overall, he felt that this… 'Team' was not only a possible bad influence on his daughter (if they roped her into singing in a concert), but could pose an active threat to the safety of the entire Schnee estate as well.

He would have to deal with decisively. All he needed to do was bide his time.

But, once he had the necessary information, he could deal with those girls.

**xxx**

**The end.**

**Aww, who am I kidding? This couldn't possibly be the end of this story. In fact, this is only the beginning… for now. But, the next part will have to wait, until it's ready to be shown to you all. So, if I may before I leave, I would like to thank a few people. Firstly, thanks to JimboYokimbo for being a great editor for this story. If it wasn't for his input, the quality of this story would surely suffer. So, give him a look or say hello, he deserves it. Also, I would like to thank all the people who left reviews. I really appreciate all the feedback I got from you guys, both critically and positively. Really, it's you guys, the readers, that I write for. Now, I should really get going. My work isn't done, not in the slightest.**

**This is The Draigg, fading away… for now.**


	52. Omake

Chapter 52: Omake

**Man, I bet you didn't see this one coming, did you?! Well, truth to be told, I got bored and decided to treat you guys with something a little special. So, with that in mind, remember that I don't own anything I put in my writing, especially RWBY or the music I use. Now, let's enjoy some omake goodness!**

**xxx**

A few hours after the concert had ended, the stage and the surrounding are was silent. Of course it was, after all, audiences didn't stick around to watch an empty stage for a few hours before dawn.

Well, actually, it wasn't COMPLETELY empty.

Jaune Arc was hanging around the stage, looking over the grass field where a large crowd had watched on hell of a show just a short while ago.

Well, now was the time to try out something that he always wanted to do. Sure, he had come from a well-off family, but always thought he always had a good idea of rhythm and beat. If it worked for his advantage at the dancing game at the arcade, why can't it work while he did this?

Raising a microphone (which was thankfully powered off) to his mouth, he began his routine:

_sharp like an edge of a samurai sword /the mental blade cut through flesh and bone  
>though my mind's at peace, the world out of order missing the inner heat, life gets colder  
>oh yes, I have to find my path no less, walk on earth, water, and fire  
>the elements compose a magnum opus my modus is operandi is amalgam  
>steel packed tight in microchip on my arm a sign of all-pro  
>the ultimate reward is honor, not awards at odds with the times in wars with no lords_

_a freelancer,  
>a battle cry of a hawk make a dove fly and a tear dry<br>wonder why a lone wolf don't run with a clan  
>only trust your instincts and be one with the plan <em>

Now was the point of no return. If he was going to do this for himself, then Jaune needed to feel the heartbeat of the chorus.__

_some days, some nights  
>some live, some die<br>in the way of the samurai  
>some fight, some bleed<br>sun up to sun down  
>the sons of a battlecry<em>

_some days, some nights  
>some live, some die<br>in the way of the samurai  
>some fight, some bleed<br>sun up to sun down  
>the sons of a battlecry, a battlecry<em>

Damn, son, he nailed it! With his confidence boosted, Jaune continued rapping.__

_look, just the air around him /an aura surrounding the heir apparent  
>he might be a peasant but shine like grand royalty he to the people and land, loyalty  
>we witness above all to hear this, sea sickness in the ocean of wickedness  
>set sail to the sun set no second guessing<em>

_far east style with the spirit of wild west /the "quote-unquote" code stands the test of  
>time for the chosen ones to find the best of noble minds that ever graced the face of  
>a hemisphere with no fear, fly over<em>

_the blue yonder where /the sky meets the sea  
>and eye meets no eye and boy meets world  
>and became a man to serve the world to save the day, the night, and the girl too_

Jaune couldn't help but smirk a little at that chunk of material. He thought it fitted him pretty well. Now all that was left to do was top off the final chorus.

_some days, some nights  
>some live, some die<br>in the way of the samurai  
>some fight, some bleed<br>sun up to sun down  
>the sons of a battlecry<em>

_some days, some nights  
>some live, some die<br>in the way of the samurai  
>some fight, some bleed<br>sun up to sun down  
>the sons of a battlecry, a battlecry<em>

With the rap now done, Jaune decided to do the cool things that he saw in movies set in inner city areas: he dropped the mic and walked away…

…And then he walked back to the mic and picked it up. That was Beacon Academy's property, and he couldn't let it get damaged on his watch! If a teacher found out that a member of the Theater Club intentionally damaged property, then his position would be gone in an instant.

But… it was worth it to feel like a hardcore rapper for a minute there.

Giving a reminiscent sigh at that thought, Jaune walked backstage over to the sound equipment, and stashed the microphone back in its place. But, instead of leaving, he looked around the backstage one more time.

Man, it was awesome to see what he and his friends accomplished. In his mind, it certainly made up for that incident a few months ago. Not only was nothing set on fire by the audience, which would already count as a victory to him, but the crowd actually loved it!

It was amazing to think that the organization that he was a part of had managed to redeem itself, even after a mistake that large before.

Jaune gave himself a high-five to congratulate himself. He was glad no one was around to see that, he didn't want to be seen as some weird guy who acted that way by himself. But still, he deserved it. He felt like a huge badass right now.

So, he walked across the stage with a boisterous strut, acting like the Big-Dick OG like he felt he was.

But, as it turned out, trying to strut down a small staircase was incredibly hard to do, and Jaune fell flat on his face. That didn't stop that Big G Boss from regaining his dignity by brushing the dust off of his face and strutting down the walkway back to his room.

Yeah, Jaune was a Boss now. Nothing could stop him. Now, but seriously, he needed to get back before Pyrrha got worried. Team JNPR had a curfew. Sure, it was a late one, but Jaune wanted to get back so he could go to sleep. After all, he didn't want to sleep in and miss anything.

Thus, the Masta Fly Gangsta somehow walked with his massive balls (in his opinion) to his room, ready to get the good shuteye that the realest OG's truly deserved.

And not one fuck was given by him.

**xxx**

**Don't worry, you don't have to accept this as a real, actual event if you don't want to. I mean, it was just something I thought would be funny to write. Anyway, I hope you like Jaune and his massive delusions! Oh, and for good measure, the song is 'Battlecry' by Nujabes. I mean, who doesn't like some Samurai Champloo? Well, other than people who don't like that show, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, this is The Draigg, and I'm just going to go now.**


End file.
